Colombo: Years of governance problems have pushed Sri Lankan cricket from its position among the world’s leading teams towards a fight for survival. But, the island nation now appears to be taking a determined step tow…

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}Quick summary – click for full detailsConcise summary of key highlightsSri Lanka invokes Buddha, cultural ties with India to enhance cricket relationsIn one lineSri Lanka Cricket seeks governance reforms and deeper ties with India to revive its struggling cricket administration and financial stability.Key points• Governance overhaulSri Lanka Cricket formed a nine-member interim committee, including former cricketers and opposition MP Eran Wickramaratne, to recommend structural reforms and enhance accountability.• Cultural diplomacySri Lanka leverages shared Buddhist heritage and diplomatic ties with India to strengthen cricket relations and reduce government interference.• Financial revival planThe SLC aims to secure more tours from India, including Tests, to improve financial health, with Wickramaratne advocating for an expanded international calendar.• ICC compliance focusThe reforms align with ICC principles to ensure cricket autonomy, balancing political oversight with global governance standards.• Lodha Committee influenceThe SLC’s reforms mirror India’s Lodha Committee changes, introducing independent directors and transparency to modernise cricket administration.Processed with AI. Reviewed by DH Digital Team. After the resignation of Sri Lanka Cricket’s top office-bearers, Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage set up a nine-member Cricket Transformation Committee (interim committee) in April, chaired by Eran Wickramaratne, an Opposition member in the Sri Lankan Parliament.Alongside overseeing the board’s affairs, the panel — which includes distinguished former cricketers such as Kumar Sangakkara, Sidath Wettimuny and Roshan Mahanama — has been tasked with recommending structural reforms for incorporation into the SLC constitution. The process bears similarities to the exercise undertaken by the Supreme Court of India-appointed justice (rtd) Lodha Committee, which brought sweeping changes to the BCCI constitution, several of which have since been modified.Jayananda Warnaweera | The forgotten man behind Galle’s resurrection“Like India had the Lodha committee, other boards in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia also made changes. So we need to move with the times, and one of the most important things we have done in the present constitution is to include independent directors as well, rather than having everyone elected,” observed Wettimuny.“That will be a very significant shift from the old system to the new because we believe there needs to be greater accountability, transparency and visibility regarding everything that is happening. I think it will be better for Sri Lanka cricket,” he added.Wickramaratne, who has considerable knowledge of India after studying Indian politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies in England, spoke about strengthening cricket ties with India as Sri Lanka seeks to rebuild the sport domestically.“Our cultural ties with India are truly unique because, if you go right back to the time of Lord Buddha himself, he came from India and Sri Lanka received the message of Buddhism 2,000 years ago,” he told Indian journalists here on Saturday. “In more recent years, diplomatic relations have been strengthened, and I would say that under the current Lankan government, they have strengthened considerably. We want this expanding relationship in other fields to extend to cricket too.”Recently, ICC Chairman Jay Shah and BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia met the Wickramaratne-led panel and held extensive discussions about Lankan cricket’s administration and ways to reduce government interference, which is directly at odds with the global governing body’s regulations.So, what makes this time different?India aim to avoid complacency as they target series sweep in Colombo “I think the fact that I am speaking to you is different because, politically speaking, I am a member of the Opposition to the current President,” Wickramaratne pointed out. “In a very unusual move, he approached me and asked me to take this on and see whether I could actually bring about the change,” he added.“The ICC’s fundamental principle is that cricket must remain independent of political authority. That is a principle we all agree with and uphold. At the same time, every country may face this issue.“The real stakeholders in the game are the supporters and the public. They are not those of us who occupy these chairs. Therefore, governments around the world have a responsibility, in a sense, to ensure that we remain accountable.“So these are the two competing considerations, and I think many countries are debating how these two factors can actually be balanced.”Wickramaratne, a former banker, also called for more visits by the Indian team to Lanka, something directly connected to the SLC’s financial wellbeing.“I think the international calendar is causing this issue of India not playing more Tests against SL. As far as we are concerned, we would like to play India every year. Not only us, I think the whole world would want that,” said Wettimuny.“India has a soft corner for Sri Lanka, and we hope to have more tours with India. We have heard there will be a few more in the next World Test Championship cycle, so we are keeping our fingers crossed. But obviously, India, England and Australia are the teams the entire world wants to play, and I think we must ensure that we receive tours from those countries while also supporting some of the other nations that need more cricket,” explained Wickramaratne.

Source: Deccan Herald