Pramodya Wickramasinghe, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cricket Selection Committee, has shed light on various challenges faced by Sri Lankan cricket, attributing them to individuals seeking power in the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, match-fixing brokers, and those aiming for spots in the national team.
In a detailed letter, Wickramasinghe exposed what he believes to be a multifaceted conspiracy that has contributed to the downfall of Sri Lankan cricket over the past two and a half years. He pointed out that certain individuals with personal ambitions are orchestrating these conspiracies while masquerading as saviours of the game.
“I believe that the current plight of Sri Lankan cricket is the result of a multifaceted conspiracy operating at various levels for a long time. The cricket ban imposed on Sri Lanka is a consequence of the same process. Behind these conspiracies, I observe the fulfilment of personal ambitions. However, these parties are skillfully misleading society by pretending to save the game and disseminating relevant facts,” he said.
According to Wickramasinghe, social media platforms have become breeding grounds for these conspiracies, with the primary objective of dismantling the existing cricket administration. Conspirators allegedly invested considerable resources in disseminating analyses and opinions on social media to erode public confidence in the professionalism of the cricket selection committee.
“The ultimate result of these efforts was to undermine public confidence in the professionalism of the cricket selection committee,” Wickramasinghe stated.
He accused the Sports Ministry of lacking a firm policy on cricket selections. He cited an example where the Minister objected to including injured players Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chamira in the ICC World Cup 2023 squad.
Wickramasinghe claimed that conspirators used both official and unofficial means to undermine the cricket selection committee, forcing them to consider players’ religious backgrounds alongside merit for the first time in history. This diversion from players’ skills to extraneous matters has raised concerns within the selection committee.
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“The Kusala Sarojini report related to the Australian tour, in particular, made the committee uncomfortable, forcing them to consider players’ religious backgrounds alongside merit for the first time in the history of the selection committee,” he said.
The chairman expressed his worry about external pressures shifting the focus away from the game’s vitality. He called for a more transparent and robust approach to safeguard the integrity of Sri Lankan cricket.
