Shammi Silva, the long-standing president of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), has resigned alongside his executive committee, effective immediately. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake received official notice of the mass exit, signaling deep unrest within the game’s governing body.
A Wednesday statement from SLC detailed the submissions to both the president and Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage. At 65, Silva’s six-year presidency included unchallenged terms through 2025, but recent failures have eroded his position.
Critics have lambasted the board for the men’s team’s slide, highlighted by an early exit from the T20 World Cup Super Eights this year. Mismanagement claims have snowballed, forcing this collective departure.
Interestingly, Silva recently assumed ACC presidency after Jay Shah, with joint India-Sri Lanka elections cited as a catalyst for change. The 1973 Sports Act empowers ministerial intervention, yet ICC rules frown upon it—prompting notifications to the global body.
Election timelines are hazy, leaving the future uncertain. Recall Silva’s 2023 removal post-ODI World Cup flop, which triggered ICC suspension and relocated the U-19 event to South Africa. His 2025 return proved short-lived.
Sri Lankan cricket now faces a reckoning. Will this purge restore credibility, or deepen the chaos? The nation watches closely as new leadership emerges from the shadows of scandal.
