A small time former District Coach Alex Nishantha has emerged as one of the key mastermind of Sri Lanka’s Non-affiliated PDC (Puttalam District Cricket Association) T10 league, that was announced and then was called off few days ago, Cricket Age exclusively learns.
The league was announced in the third week of June, stating that it would be starting on June 25. The unknown organizers of the 12-day-long tournament, which was said to be played at the historic and world heritage site Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, had even claimed that former cricketers including the likes of Ajantha Mendis, Chamara Silva, Nuwan Kulasekara, Asela Gunarathna, Dhammika Prasad, Sachithra Senanayake, Chamara Kapugedra, Thilan Thushara and Ishara Amerasinghe would be playing in the league.
However, on June 23, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced that none of the contracted players of the SLC have sought permission to take part in the League. The SLC further declared that the said T10 League is not endorsed by the cricket board.
“Sri Lanka Cricket wishes to announce that none of the contracted players of the board have sought permission to take part in a contest PDC T10 League nor Sri Lanka Cricket has endorsed a tournament called PDC T10 League” SLC said in a media statement.
When investigated, Cricket Age learnt that Alex Nishantha, who was associated with Sri Lanka cricket in past as one of the district coach, was talking to majority of former players and was approaching them to play in the league, on the behalf of some unknown Indians.
“He is the one who initiated this league and was overseeing it in Sri Lanka with his colleagues, since the beginning of the June” a former Sri Lanka player told Cricket Age, in condition of anonymity.
When Cricket Age inquired with Puttalam District Cricket Association, it emerged that the PDCA was completely unaware about the existence of any such league.
“We have no clue at all, where this league came from. It seems they were using our association name” a top PDC official told Cricket Age.
However, the real twist came after that!
Cricket Age understands that even after SLC announced no involvement with the said league, by stating that it is not endorsed by the board, Alex Nishantha was claiming to organize the league, until yesterday even. according to sources, even yesterday, he called many of those former players whom he approached previously, and claimed that the league would be played in the second half of July and eventually the SLC would also give the permission to organize it.
In another shocking revelation, one of the former Sri Lanka fast bowler was also talking to players on the behalf on Alex Nishantha and claiming that the league would be permitted by the SLC.
Most shockingly, yesterday at around 4 PM, Alex along with few fellow coaches, went to SLC headquarter Maitland place and met one of the top official of the board.
“He arrived at SLC yesterday with a coach from Moratuwa named Lucky Rogers and two others to meet that top official” an insider at SLC told Cricket Age.
As expected, after the said league triggered a controversy, the SLC claims to lodge a police complaint and taking the appropriate action.
Some questions, however, still remains unanswered:
Is it possible that Alex, a small time district coach, could organize a league featuring world renowned former players on his own?
Is he enjoying the backing of some of the SLC people?
What SLC’s two so called anti corruption unit guy were doing all these time, when former players were been openly contacting and approaching? Remember, these anti corruption unit guys draws a big salary from the SLC?
Is it that much easy in Sri Lanka to organize such league, featuring world renowned players?
