Sri Lanka cricket board denies claims officials to go on joy ride

The Sri Lanka cricket board has denied claims made by former captain Arjuna Ranatunga that some of its officials are to go on a joy ride overseas.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said that it has sought permission from the Ministry of Sports to send 07 Executive Committee Members overseas to engage in “official matters” during the ongoing Men’s Asia Cup.

“Any tours undertaken or planned to be undertaken by its Executive Committee Members are purely aimed at conducting official work pertaining to the development of the game of cricket in Sri Lanka and nothing else,” the Sri Lanka cricket board said.

Sri Lanka Cricket said that while being the host cricketing board for the Asia Cup 2022, the work expected to be done by these officials during the planned tour to the UAE includes meeting and discussing bilateral cricket arrangements with officials of the member countries, holding discussions with the Asian Cricket Council and meeting with private sector representatives, who can bring in massive commercial opportunities for the game in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Cricket also said that with a massive Future Tours Program (FTP) in place for Sri Lanka during the years 2023 to 2027 and also several editions of the Lanka Premier League, it is essential that SLC officials start working on those tours, tournaments, and also the Lanka Premier League’s upcoming editions.

Sri Lanka Cricket also said that the Executive Committee members of the SLC are serving in an honorary capacity for the betterment of the game and are not paid a salary.

Sri Lanka Cricket also said that the organization is an independently managed entity and is engaged in financing its operations purely from the money SLC has earned through conducting international tournaments, selling team sponsorships and selling its broadcasting rights and from the funds disbursed by the International Cricket Council for its full member countries. (Colombo Gazette)