In a significant turn of events, a Sri Lankan court of appeal on Tuesday invalidated the decision by the sports minister to dismiss the country’s cricket board due to allegations of corruption.
The court has reinstated the ousted officials of the embattled cricket board and temporarily adjourned the petition filed by board president Shammi Silva challenging Minister Roshan Ranasingh’s directive.
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A court official informed international media that this reinstatement is in effect for two weeks, during which time the court will revisit the case.
The sports minister had accused board officials of engaging in extensive corruption practices and subsequently removed them from their positions, just a day after Sri Lanka suffered a defeat by India in a World Cup 2023 group stage match. He then appointed an interim committee led by former cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga to oversee the cricket board’s affairs.
Ranatunga had expressed his determination to eradicate corruption within the board and to revamp the national team. “Sri Lanka Cricket had earned a reputation as the most corrupt institution in the country,” Ranatunga asserted on Monday.
However, his tenure was short-lived, as the court’s decision has now reinstated the dismissed officials.
