New Delhi: Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman Shami Silva has resigned with immediate effect, triggering a major reshuffle of Sri Lanka’s cricket governing body.In an official statement released on Wednesday, the SLC confirmed that not only Silva but all officials and executive committee members had resigned.“Sri Lanka Cricket Association President Shami Silva has tendered his resignation with immediate effect. Along with him, the office bearers and executive committee members of the SLC have also tendered their resignations,” the board said.The resignation has been formally communicated to Anura Kumar Dissanayake and Sports Minister Sunil Kumar Gamachi.Silva became SLC president for the first time in 2019, replacing Thilanga Sumathipala. He strengthened his position on the board over the years and served four consecutive terms, most of which were uncontested.During his tenure, Sri Lanka achieved a number of successes, including Asian Cup titles for both the men’s and women’s teams. However, the national football team also performed poorly in major ICC events.According to ESPNcricinfo, the performance of the Sri Lankan men’s team in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cup was disappointing. The team’s international rankings also declined during Silva’s tenure.Even the recent appointment of Gary Kirsten as head coach has failed to diminish growing criticism of the board and calls for administrative reform.While the SLC has yet to officially reveal the reasons behind the mass resignations, the move marks one of the biggest changes in Sri Lankan cricket administration in recent years.
What’s going on now?
The Sri Lankan government has temporarily taken over Sri Lankan cricket, saying the move is aimed at bringing “structural reforms” to the sport. The decision came a day after SLC president Shammi Silva and the entire executive committee resigned following government intervention.“All administrative functions for cricket in Sri Lanka will be temporarily under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports with immediate effect,” the ministry said, according to AFP.The government added that a new committee would be appointed soon “to address current issues in cricket and implement structural reforms”.Sri Lankan cricket has long faced accusations of corruption and mismanagement, while the national team recently suffered an early exit from the T20 World Cup.
