By Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva has warned that the country stands to lose 50 million US dollars if the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not lift its ongoing suspension of Sri Lanka’s membership.
Silva explained that the ICC had allowed Sri Lanka to host the U19 Cricket World Cup and the ICC Annual General Meeting (AGM) in 2024 and the Women’s World Cup in 2027, as well as co-host the T20 World Cup with India in 2026. However, the ICC required a certain level of assurance from the Sri Lankan government that it would support these events.
Silva said that the ICC no longer had that confidence and that the AGM had already been cancelled. He also expressed uncertainty about the future of the U19 World Cup.
Silva said that the suspension was not a shock, as the ICC had notified SLC of a possible suspension in July this year. He blamed Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe for the suspension, alleging that Ranasinghe had interfered with SLC’s affairs and created a high level of politicization and corruption.
Silva said that Ranasinghe was the reason for the downfall of sports in Sri Lanka and that the country could not develop sports with a minister like him. He urged President Ranil Wickremesinghe to intervene in the ordeal.
The ICC suspended Sri Lanka’s membership on Friday night after finding that SLC had been in serious breach of its obligations as a member, in particular the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government interference
Silva’s warning about the potential financial losses to Sri Lanka if the suspension continues is a serious one. The hosting of major international cricket tournaments is a lucrative business, and Sri Lanka would miss out on a significant amount of revenue if it were unable to host these events.
In addition to the financial losses, the suspension is also a major blow to Sri Lanka’s reputation as a cricketing nation. It is the first time that the ICC has suspended a member country since 2018.
It is unclear for how long the suspension will last. The ICC has said that it will review the situation on a regular basis, but it is possible that the suspension could be in place for several months or even years.
The Sri Lankan government has said that it is working to resolve the issue with the ICC, but it remains to be seen whether it w
ill be successful. In the meantime, Sri Lankan cricket is in limbo.
