On Wednesday, World Cricket left stunned when Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Faizer Mustapha came heavily on the International Cricket Council (ICC) and criticised game’s governing body instead of punishing Dinesh Chandimal, Asanka Gurusinha and Chandika Hathurusingha. Referring to the Sri Lanka involvement in Ball tampering incident during the second test against West Indies recently, Mustapha called on ICC to establish “simple, clear rules.”
“Laws governing the offence / act of altering the condition of the ball are somewhat vague and lack clarity,” Musthapha said in a statement.
“I invite the ICC to revisit the applicable laws and ensure that a set of simple, clear and certain rules and procedures are put in place.”
He did not elaborate but the statement came after Chandimal, coach Hathurusingha and manager Gurusinha were sanctioned following a tampering scandal.
Chandimal refused to take the field for two hours on the third day of the second Test against the West Indies last month after he was accused of ball tampering on the previous day.
Chandimal as well as Hathurusingha and Gurusinha were banned for two Tests and four one-day internationals for violating the spirit of the game by holding up the second Test against West Indies by two hours.
However, Cricket Age learns that Sports Minister was not willing to release a media statement on this sensitive issue.
However, Ashley De Silva, the controversial CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) once again misled the minister, by saying that it’s important for him to stand with the Chandimal, Hathurusingha and Gurusinha.
Only after that, Sports Minister ordered to release media statement and eventually once again proved that he doesn’t know anything about Cricket and its Ashley De Silva, Who is running the show at SLC.
“Honorable Sports Minister is on overseas trip and will return on 21st July. It was Mr. Ashley De Silva’s Suggestion to issue a media statement. He completely misled honorable minister once again” A top Official of Sports Ministry angrily told Cricket Age in term of anonymity.
It is noteworthy that last month also Ashley De Silva misled Sports Minister completely by convincing him to invite former players as consultants. In response, all the former players refused the invitation and made Sports Minister a laughing stock in world Cricket.
