ICC World Cup 2023: Sri Lanka Dissolve Entire Board After Drubbing by India

#CWC23 | #SriLanka have dissolved their entire board after defeat to India, #ArjunaRanatunga named interim chairman

Sri Lanka's bowler Dilshan Madushanka celebrates with teammates the wicket of Indias batter Shubman Gill during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 match between India and Sri Lanka, at Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023

Shashank Parade

Sri Lanka's Sports Minister, Roshan Ranasinghe, forced the country's national cricket board members to resign following the team's crushing defeat to hosts India in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023. 

The action followed a public outcry and Ranasinghe's calls for the President Shammi Silva-led SLC to resign.

Ranasinghe slammed Sri Lanka Cricket in a statement on Friday, accusing it of being disloyal and tainted by corruption. He demanded that all board members resign immediately.

"They should voluntarily resign," said Ranasinghe.

"Sri Lanka Cricket has been besieged with complaints of player disciplinary issues, management corruption, financial misconduct and match-fixing allegations," Ranasinghe said in the letters, released to Sri Lankan media.

This came after, Mohan de Silva, the secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket and the organization's second-highest position, resigned on Saturday amid fan protests outside the board's headquarters.

Arjuna Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to their only World Cup victory in 1996, has been named interim chairman of the board, according to Ranasinghe.

A release from the Ministry of Sports said the committee has been appointed by Ranasinghe under the powers of Sports Law No. 25 of 1973. The committee also has three retired judges, two of them female, and former SLC chair Upali Dharmadasa.

This marked Ranatunga's return to the helm of Sri Lankan cricket, having previously led a similar interim committee in 2008. Ranatunga, who led the Ranasinghe-appointed National Sports Council, has questioned the Silva administration. 

Silva was re-elected as SLC president in May for a third consecutive term that would last until 2025.

The 1996 champions have lost five of their seven round-robin matches and are now out of the semifinals. They will be hoping to finish in the top eight and qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan.