Sri Lanka’s legendary batter Kumar Sangakkara has been named to a Transformation Committee to run Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The decision follows the government-led ouster of the SLC administration headed by Shammi Silva.
Sangakkara, one of Sri Lanka’s finest cricketers, is the most renowned name in the committee. He is joined by former cricketers Roshan Mahanama and the country’s maiden Test century-maker Sidath Wettimuny, along with several members of corporate, legal, and political backgrounds.
The head of the committee is a former member of parliament, Eran Wickramaratne – a politician from Sri Lanka’s main opposition party (Samagi Jana Balawegaya).
Following the announcement, Wickramaratne highlighted the committee’s objectives, including an overhaul of SLC’s governance framework.
“I am privileged to lead a nine-member committee of individuals with impeccable integrity and expertise,” Wickramaratne said.
“Our immediate priority is a total overhaul of the governance framework at SLC,” he continued. “The cornerstone of this effort will be the implementation of the new consitution, ensuring it serves as a robust, modern foundation for the sport.”
He also expressed confidence in bringing out the best in Sri Lankan players by providing them with top-tier facilities.
“We will focus on establishing the structures, world-class facilities, and incentive models necessary to empower our national teams. Our goal is to enable our players to consistently deliver world-class performances and elevate Sri Lanka back to the top tier of international rankings.”
Among the members, Wettimuny and Prakash Schaffter bring prior administrative experience, having served on the 2015 interim committee. Avanthi Colombage from the corporate sector, is the only woman on the panel.
For the unversed, SLC is the country’s richest sporting body, but it has been plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Sri Lanka made an early exit from the T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted with India in February-March. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has yet to comment on the latest government-led changes. The ICC has previously suspended Sri Lanka’s membership in November 2023, citing political interference in the running of the national board. The suspension was lifted at the end of January 2024, and Silva’s committee was restored. He subsequently won a fourth term uncontested as president.