COLOMBO (NewsRadio); 1996 World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga has been named the Chairman of the newly appointed Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee.
A seven-member interim committee has been appointed by Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe in terms of powers vested in him through the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973.
SLC interim committee will function with effect from today.
The statement issued by the Ministry of Sports said the SLC board led by Shammi Silva will be temporarily suspended.
Accordingly, in addition to Arjuna Ranatunga, Retired Supreme Court Judge SI Imam, Retired Supreme Court Judge Rohini Marasinghe, Retired High Court Judge Irangani Perera, Upali Dharmadasa, Rakitha Rajapakshe and Hisham Jamaldeen have been named as members of the SLC interim committee.
The appointment of the interim committee comes after several factions called for the resignation of the SLC board following the disastrous ODI World Cup campaign in India.
Former Secretary of SLC Mohan de Silva tendered in his resignation last week.
Prior to the development, the Executive Committee of SLC also called for an explanation from the coaching staff and the selectors of their strategy for the World Cup.
Sri Lanka has won only two of the matches at the World Cup so far and has lost five including one against Afghanistan and another 302-run defeat at the hands of India on Thursday (2).
Sri Lanka is scheduled to take on Bangladesh in Delhi today.
The cricket board has been under intense scrutiny in recent times due to the performances of the national team and owing corruption allegations.
The appointment of an interim committee will be closely monitored by the International Cricket Council, which opposes what it terms as political interference in the running of cricket in its member nations.
