Colombo: Former Member of Parliament and investment banker Eran Wickramaratne has been named as chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) interim committee, established with an aim to run the sport’s governing body following the resignation of president Shammi Silva and his executive committee.
In the interim committee constituted by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage, former national captains Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara have been included, so as ex‑opener Sidath Wettimuny. Administrators Thushira Radella, Avanti Colombage, Prakash Schaffter and Upul Kumarapperuma too find themselves in the committee.
The appointments mark a sweeping overhaul at Maitland Place, headquarters of SLC, after Silva and the entire executive committee officially stepped down on Wednesday amid mounting criticism of governance, financial irregularities and a decline in the national men’s team performances in recent times.
“The President of Sri Lanka Cricket, Mr. Shammi Silva, has tendered his resignation from the post, effective today. Along with him, the office bearers and members of the Executive Committee of the SLC have also submitted their resignations.
“This decision has been formally communicated to His Excellency President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Honorable Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mr. Sunil Kumara Gamage,” a statement from the SLC had said earlier in the day.
Silva, 65, had been SLC President since 2019, and was re-elected to the top role unopposed in 2021 2023 and 2025. Silva also served as the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in 2025, where he succeeded Jay Shah for being in the top role.
Sri Lanka’s failure to reach the Super Eights stage of this year’s T20 World Cup, which they co-hosted with India, has been cited as a trigger for change in the SLC administration.
Silva was previously ousted as SLC chief in 2023 after the national team had a poor Men’s ODI World Cup campaign in 2023, prompting a suspension of the board by the ICC.
It also led to relocation of the 2024 Men’s Under‑19 World Cup from Sri Lanka to South Africa. Silva returned as SLC chief in 2025, but his seven‑year reign now appears to have ended for the good.
The task for the Sri Lankan government and the interim committee will be to assure the International Cricket Council (ICC) that this is a stopgap measure on the way to constitutional reform. Whether the ICC views the resignations as voluntary or as evidence of political interference will be very decisive.
(IANS)
