According to Sri Lanka Sports Minister Harin Fernando, the International Cricket Council has lifted the ban imposed on Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) with immediate effect.
The official press release with the information will be published soon, the Sri Lankan official confirmed. On 10 November 2023, the ICC suspended the Sri Lanka Cricket Board for being a “serious failure to fulfill its obligations as a Member, in particular the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government interference in the governance, regulation and/or administration of cricket in Sri Lanka.”
However, later in November 2023, Sri Lanka was allowed to play international cricket despite the ban, but the hosting rights for the 2024 ICC U19 World Cup were taken away from the SLC and the competition was moved to South Africa. .
ICC lifts ban on Sri Lanka cricket
Breaking news 🚨
The ICC lifts the ban imposed on Sri Lanka with immediate effect. The official press release will be published soon: Minister of Sports, Harin Fernando #sportspavilion #SriLankaCricket pic.twitter.com/EeUuebSALW
— DANUSHKA ARAVINDA (@DanuskaAravinda) January 28, 2024
The International Cricket Council further issued a press release and briefed about the entire development. The ICC informed that it has lifted the ban on Sri Lanka Cricket with immediate effect. Sri Lanka’s cricket board has been suspended for violating its responsibilities as a member nation. The cricket board had to ensure that there was no government interference in cricket’s governing body, which the country did not do, so they were suspended.
However, on 21 November, at the ICC board meeting, it was decided that Sri Lanka would be allowed to compete in international series, but their hosting rights for the U19 World Cup were moved to South Africa.
Sri Lanka He had a horrible campaign in the 2023 ODI World Cup and finished in ninth position. The Sri Lanka cricket team suffered many injuries during the tournament and prominent players like Dushmantha Chameera and Wanindu Hasaranga were excluded from the tournament. The team also lost captain Dasun Shanaka midway through the tournament due to injury.
After Sri Lanka’s disappointing performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Sri Lanka Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe sacked the entire Sri Lankan cricket board due to corruption in the cricket body. Ranasinghe subsequently formed an interim committee to investigate the affairs of the board led by former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga.
However, the decision was overturned by the Sri Lankan court, which subsequently re-established the country’s cricket board. This restoration of the board was for two weeks, however, now that the ban on Sri Lanka Cricket is lifted, the team will now try to prepare for the upcoming ICC tournaments.