New Delhi: Sri Lanka Cricket president Shami Silva has resigned from his position with immediate effect, causing a major upheaval in the Sri Lankan cricket administration.In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the SLC confirmed that not only Silva but all office bearers and members of the executive committee had resigned.“The president of Sri Lanka Cricket, Shami Silva, has resigned from his post, effective today. Along with him, the officials and members of the SLC Executive Committee have also tendered their resignations,” the board said.The resignations were formally sent to Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage.Silva first became the SLC president in 2019 after replacing Thilinga Sumathipala. Over the years, he consolidated his position within the board and served four consecutive terms, most of his elections unopposed.During his tenure, Sri Lanka achieved some success, including the Asia Cup titles for both the men’s and women’s teams. However, the national team also struggled badly in major ICC tournaments.According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the Sri Lankan men’s team faced disappointing campaigns in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cups. The team’s international ranking also declined during Silva’s tenure.Even the recent appointment of Gary Kirsten as head coach failed to quell growing criticism of the board and calls for a managerial change.Although the SLC has not officially disclosed the reason for the mass resignations, the move is one of the biggest changes in Sri Lankan cricket management in recent years.
what is now
The Sri Lankan government has temporarily taken control of Sri Lankan cricket, saying the move is aimed at bringing about “structural reforms” in the game. The decision comes a day after SLC president Shami Silva and the entire executive committee resigned following the government’s intervention.“All administrative functions of Sri Lanka Cricket will be temporarily brought under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, effective today,” the ministry said, as quoted by AFP.The government added that a new committee would soon be appointed “to address the current issues in cricket and implement structural reforms”.Sri Lankan cricket has long been plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement, with the national team recently facing an early exit from the T20 World Cup.
