In South Asia, the interim committees have served the game of cricket with more purpose than the elected bodies.
Sri Lanka Cricket, initially named as Board of Cricket for Sri Lanka (BCCSL), was first registered with Ministry of Sports in 1975 as a national Sports body.
Even though the island had gotten the test status in 1981, cricket in Sri Lanka became popular only after 1996 world cup triumph. Arjuna Ranatunga and his miracle boys changed the whole scenario. Suddenly, Sri Lanka Cricket became a powerhouse in World Cricket!
That was first time, when Sri Lanka cricket encountered with fame. And more importantly, with the money!
And that’s where, the problem started. Before 1996, SLC President’s were thoroughly gentlemen: mostly notable name is Anna Punchihewa.
After 1996 world cup, Thilanga Sumathipala emerged and started to control everything. Gradually, SLC started to dealing in dollars and corruption, frauds, financial irregularities were become too frequent.
After that, Sri Lanka Cricket moved in the same pattern for next two decades: Sumathipala won the election, then corruption charges appeared, he had to go and an interim committee had to clean up the mess up. Till now, it has been moving in the same pattern!
This is, however, not a problem with Sri Lanka Cricket only. In subcontinent, the same problem exists, most notably in BCCI.
Over the years, there were plenty of corruption charges and political interference within BCCI. So much so that, at the end, the Supreme Court of India had to intervene and had to appointed a committee of administrators (CoA), which is more like an interim committee.
Since January 2017, the CoA is running the show at BCCI and the game has become more transparent and less controversial.
All these proves, that even though the International Cricket Council (ICC) prefers and recommends elected bodies at cricket boards, it’s the interim arrangements, by which Sports got most benefited!
To be precise, the Supreme Court of India has set an example for ICC, by appointing CoA to run the game with transparency. In last two years, the CoA has proved it that without vested interests, the game of cricket can be served much better!
