Just hours after Country’s Sports Minister Dayasiri made it clear that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Will have to implement the domestic cricket revival plan of Legendary Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara or he will dissolve the Board, it’s President Thilanga Sumathipala is planning something unexpected to survive. It has learnt that SLC is set to hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) with the intention of seeking approval from their member clubs to continue the present administration for two more years and bypass the Annual General Meeting due in 2018.
According to sources, an Emergency Executive Committee Meeting was to be held last night to take a final decision regarding the SGM.
The SLC Election was held in January 2015 at which Sumathipala’s team was voted to power beating Nishantha Ranathunga’s team. The Sri Lanka Sports Law defined the term of office as maximum of two years at the time of the election, but later amendments were made to the regulations which stated office-bearers of National Sports Associations (NSA) can hold office for a maximum term of four years instead of two.
The two-year term of SLC is coming to an end in January. The Sports Ministry rules state that every NSA should hold their election before 31 May of the year once the term ends.
These developments come after the recent embarrassment SLC faced where they failed to follow simple guidelines of the country’s sports law, which resulted in National cricketers being disgraced when they were recalled after boarding the plane to India, as SLC had sent the team without Sports Ministry approval.
During Sumathipala’s ongoing tenure, Sri Lanka Cricket has become in of the weaker team in World cricket. The mismanagement of the Sumathipala led SLC has been well documented in almost every aspect.
2017, particularly, has become the ‘darkest year’ in Sri Lanka cricket history : in almost every aspect.
Sri Lanka national team, although blessed with some of the most exciting talents of World Cricket like Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Mendis, has nothing to show when it comes to winning the game. In 2017, it’s all about loosing for the Sri Lanka. They have had three whitewash in ODI format : one each against South Africa, India and Pakistan. They have lost a test to Bangladesh at home, comprehensively been defeated by India, home and away, and were unimpressive against lower ranked Zimbabwe even.
