ICC Board lifts suspension of Sri Lanka Cricket: Reports

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has lifted the suspension of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) with immediate effect, according to reports.

SLC had been suspended in November last year for failing to manage its affairs autonomously, breaching the requirement of ensuring that there is no government interference in the governance, regulation and/or administration of cricket in Sri Lanka.

According to a report in news agency PTI, the ICC Board has been monitoring the situation since the suspension and is now satisfied that the Sri Lankan Cricket Board is no longer in breach of membership obligations.

Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Harin Fernando, while posting about the lifting of the suspension on his social media handle, stated that an official statement on the matter would be made soon.

The ICC suspended Sri Lanka after Fernando's predecessor Roshan Ranasinghe sacked the incumbent Shammi Silva administration and appointed an interim committee, which was headed by 1996 World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga.

Later, the court reinstated Silva, while Ranasinghe himself was sacked from his post by President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Due to the suspension, though, Sri Lanka lost out on hosting the U-19 World Cup, which is currently being played in South Africa.

The report further added that ICC CEO Geoff Allardice visited Colombo early this month and had a meeting with both Wickremesinghe and Fernando. He was reportedly told that the Sri Lankan government is working on a new sports act that would disallow political interference in sports administration.

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Sri Lanka’s next assignment is a home series against Afghanistan

Sri Lanka will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test, three ODIs and three T20Is from February 2 to 21. The Test match will be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from February 2 to 6.

The three one-dayers of the Sri Lanka-Afghanistan series will be played in Pallekele on February 9, February 11 and February 14. The T20Is will be held in Dambulla on February 17, February 19 and February 21.

Sri Lanka’s previous assignment was a tour of Zimbabwe earlier this month. They won the rain-affected three-match ODI series 2-0 and also clinched the three-match T20I series by a 2-1 margin.