Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is undergoing a major overhaul following mass resignations from the board and executive committee initiated by president Shammi Silva on Wednesday. The move comes after Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake insisted on a change in leadership within the national cricket body amid public pressure and ongoing allegations of financial irregularities.
The government is now likely to appoint an interim committee to take over the operations of the beleaguered cricket in the country.
“The President of Sri Lanka Cricket, Mr. Shammi Silva, has tendered his resignation from the post with effect from today,” a SLC media release said. “Along with him, the officials and members of the executive committee of the SLC also submitted their resignations.”
The statement added that the decision to resign was formally communicated to President Dissanayake and Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage. The resignations reportedly followed a meeting of the SLC executive committee on Tuesday where a decision was taken to resign en masse. SLC president Shammi Silva resigns along with other board members (screenshot from X)
Silva first became SLC president in February 2019, replacing Thilanga Sumathipal, who also faced corruption charges during his tenure. Although Silva was initially perceived as close to Sumathipala, he gradually consolidated his position, serving four consecutive terms, with three elections going unopposed.
During his seven-year tenure, consistent global success remained elusive for Sri Lanka despite the men’s and women’s teams winning the Asia Cup titles. The men’s team suffered a drop in the rankings and suffered disappointing outings in the 2023 ODI World Cup (finishing ninth) and the 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cups, which were co-hosted by Sri Lanka. Even the recent appointment of Gary Kirsten as head coach of the men’s team failed to assuage calls for a management overhaul.
POSSIBLE ICC INTERVENTION?
This development could create further complications with the International Cricket Council (ICC), which was previously reluctant to accept the interim administration of Sri Lanka cricket. In 2015, the ICC refused to recognize the Wetimuna-led committee, treating them only as “observers” and withholding funding until elections were held. In 2018, when Kamal Padmasiri was appointed as the competent authority, the ICC set a strict six-month deadline for elections and warned of sanctions if the board remained under state control.
In November 2023, when then Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe used legal powers to dissolve the council, the ICC responded by suspending Sri Lanka’s membership. This led to the withdrawal of funds and the relocation of the Under-19 World Cup. The ICC’s position has consistently been that it will only recognize democratically elected leadership, regardless of domestic allegations of corruption.
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Published on:
29 Apr 2026 13:34 IST
