Shammi Silva, the dynamic president of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), has been appointed as the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Finance & Marketing Committee, Cricket Age exclusively learns. The decision was announced by Jay Shah, the president of ACC and secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“It gives me great pleasure to announce that a decision has been made with regard to the chairmanship if the ACC committees and, accordingly, the finance and marketing committee will be headed by Mr. Shammi Silva from Sri Lanka cricket” Shah said.
The other members of the committee will be Jay Shah (Ex-officio), Nazmul Hassan (President, Bangladesh Cricket Board), Pankaj Khimji (chairman, development committee, Ex-officio), Hamid Shinwari of Afghanistan Cricket Board, Rahul Sharma of Hong Kong Cricket and Nadeem Nadwi of Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation.
A no-nonsense, visionary administrator with a firm grip on financial matters, Shammi Silva was last month elected uncontested for a second term as president of Sri Lanka Cricket.
“I am thankful for the membership for electing me uncontested as the President of Sri Lanka Cricket,” Silva had said.
“This victory also proves the fact that our stakeholders have understood the yeomen service my previous administration has rendered for the development of the game,” he added.
Silva’s faction, which includes vice-presidents Ravin Wickramaratne and Jayantha Dharmadasa, and secretary Mohan de Silva, were also elected unopposed after a rival group withdrew from the elections
In last one and half years, when entire world was reeling under Coronavirus crisis which badly affected financially even rich cricket boards like BCCI, Cricket Australia and England Cricket Board, Shammi surprisingly emerged as a winner, looking after stakeholders, players, board employees, umpires, referees well being with sensitive approach during the difficult period, while also maintaining the financial stability of the board. At the same time, amid Covid scare, he successfully organised Lanka Premier League (LPL) and home series against England and Bangladesh.
Just recently, he successfully convinced BCCI to double the number of matches during team India’s forthcoming tour in July to the Island, which will give a big financial boost to his cricket board in another COVID marred year.
