Cricket officials to appear before MCC on Sports
MP’s have requested Sports Minister to call on SLC officials to the Ministerial Consultative Committee (MCC) on Sports to inquire into cricket related issues including omission of Chamika Karunaratne from the National ODI squad and Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has agreed to do so.
National cricket selection policy was highly criticized by the MP’s on last Tuesday (22) when they asked question about the Sri Lanka cricketer Chamika Karunaratne’s omission from the Afghan ODI series due to non-performance.
The Sports Ministry Secretary Dr Amal Harsha de Silva said several MP’’s questioned on the team selection while they highlighted Chamika Karunartatne who was not named by the selection committee. However Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe said that normally as the Sports Minister he is not involved with the team selections. However, the Sports Minister agreed to get more reports from the SLC about this selection issue. The Daily News learnt that Sports Minister and SLC officials including the selection committee had arranged a special meeting at the Sports Ministry yesterday evening.
Earlier at the press conference held at SLC Auditorium Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Secretary Mohan de Silva said Chamika Karunaratne has been omitted from the Afghan ODI series due to non-performance. He further clarified that the cricketer has not been left out due to a disciplinary issue.
Meanwhile the Sri Lanka ODI squad for the Afgan ODI series is so far not officially announced by the SLC and they are pending Sports Minister’s approval. The first ODI of the Afghanistan three ODI series will be held tomorrow (25) at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium while second and third ODI’s on 25 and 30th will be played at the same venue. All three matches are scheduled to start from 2.30pm. Sri Lanka cricket team was due to have a training session at Pallekele yesterday evening from 6.30pm. Afghanistan team has arrived on last Tuesday and came straight to Pallekele. The officials press briefing will be held 1pm today at the Pallekele Stadium.
The Sri Lanka squad for the Afghanistan ODI series: (Subject to approval from the Sports Ministry): Dasun Shanaka (Capt), Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashen Bandara, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dananjaya Lakshan, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Pramod Madushan and Asitha Fernando.