Big blow to Sri Lankan cricket as ICC dissolves membership with immediate effect

As if their poor performance in the ongoing World Cup 2023 was not enough, the Sri Lankan cricket suffered another blow when the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended his membership with immediate effect citing government interference.

The ICC Board met on Friday and in the same meeting the decision was taken to suspend Cricket Sri Lanka from ICC membership.

As a member, Sri Lanka has been accused of serious violations of rules. This involves running the affairs of the Board in an autonomous manner and ensuring that there is no government interference in the Board's functioning, operations or cricket administration.

The Parliament of Sri Lanka had earlier passed a unanimous resolution to dismiss the country's cricket governing body. And it got full support from the ruling party and opposition parties. Main opposition party leader Sajith Premadasa moved a motion in Parliament titled 'Removal of corrupt Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) management', which was fully supported by senior government minister Nimal Siripala de Silva.

Although the appeal court had reinstated the Sri Lankan cricket management headed by Shammi Silva, but despite this the Sri Lankan government dismissed the cricket board. And ICC did not like this decision of the government, which is against the rules of the parent organization. The terms of the suspension will be decided by the ICC Board in due course.

Meanwhile, chief selector Pramodaya Wickramasinghe has alleged that there is an external conspiracy behind Sri Lanka's poor performance in the World Cup.

The Sri Lankan cricket team returned home from India after suffering defeat from the New Zealand by five wickets in the last group match in Bengaluru. When asked about the reasons for poor performance, Wickramasingha said, 'Give me two days' time. Then I will tell you everything. This is the result of an external conspiracy. He said, 'I am very sad. I take responsibility for this'.