The Sri Lankan Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe sacked all the members of Sri Lanka Cricket on Monday, November 6 following a humiliating loss suffered by the team at the hands of India in the 33rd match of the ongoing World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The 302-run loss is Sri Lanka's biggest loss in the history of the ODI World Cup and their second-biggest defeat in ODI cricket.
The defeat followed public demonstrations organised outside the Sri Lanka Cricket office, demanding the removal of the Shammi Silva-led establishment and it gained so much momentum that the government had to put the riot police into place.
The sudden ouster of the board members has also paved the way for the entry of the 1996 World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga into Sri Lanka Cricket once again. Arjuna Ranatunga will chair an interim seven-member committee that will deal with the affairs involving Sri Lanka Cricket until new appointments are announced.
The seven-member committee comprises Hisham Jamaldeen, S. I. Imam (Retired Supreme Court Judge), Irangani Perera (Retired High Court Judge), Rohini Marasinghe (Retired Supreme Court Judge), Rakitha Rajapakshe (Attorney-at-Law), and Upali Dharmadasa (former SLC president) and they will work alongside Ranatunga.
The interim committee will also conduct a thorough investigation of alleged corruption, misconduct and irregularities in the administrative body that now stands dismissed.
Meanwhile, on the field, Sri Lanka are playing against Bangladesh in the 38th match of the ongoing World Cup and will be eager to win the game and boost their chances of finishing in the top seven to earn qualification for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Sri Lanka's World Cup 2023 squad:
Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis (c & wk), Sadeera Samarawickrama, Charith Asalanka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Dushan Hemantha, Chamika Karunaratne, Lahiru Kumara, Dunith Wellalage
Support staff:
Chris Silverwood, Naveed Nawaz, Piyal Wijetunge, Dharshana Gamage, Anton Roux, Mahela Jayawardene
