Sri Lankan Government Takes Reigns Of National Cricket Affairs After President, Executive Committee Resigns

Sri Lanka government on Wednesday decided to take over the administration of the country’s cricket board after the resignation of its president Shammi Silva and the executive committee.

Sri Lanka Cricket chief Silva and other office bearers stepped down on Tuesday after Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake negotiated a peaceful exit for them after mounting allegations of financial irregularities.

“…Accordingly under the powers vested in him by sections 31 and 34 of the sports law no 25 of 1973, all administrative functions of Sri Lanka Cricket will be temporarily brought under the ministry of youth affairs and sports,” stated a release from Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage.

Gamage said the resignations of the existing set of office-bearers have been accepted.

The release said an interim committee will be appointed shortly to find solutions to the current issues in Lankan cricket and to implement structural reforms.

Silva decided to quit after nearly three hours of deliberations by the extraordinary executive committee on Tuesday. However, no reasons for resignations were disclosed.

Since early March, the government has been contemplating the move to sack Silva on complaints received from players and over the Sri Lanka national team’s poor performances in the international arena.

Silva chaired SLC for seven years having first won its presidency in 2019 by majority votes of member clubs.

He was re-elected uncontested in 2021, 2023 and 2025.

Silva also served as the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), succeeding Jay Shah in 2025.