Sri Lanka Cricket chief Shammi Silva resigns along with executive committee

Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva and the board’s executive committee officially resigned on April 29, a decision that had already been finalised during a special meeting a day earlier.

The development follows intervention from Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is understood to have met Silva to facilitate a smooth and amicable exit amid growing public pressure and ongoing allegations of financial irregularities.

The government is now expected to appoint an interim committee to oversee operations. Former Member of Parliament Eran Wickramaratne is likely to head the panel, while former cricketers Sidath Wettimuny and Roshan Mahanama are also tipped to take up key roles in the new setup aimed at accelerating reforms. However, official confirmation is still awaited.

"The president of Sri Lanka Cricket, Mr Shammi Silva, has tendered his resignation from the post, effective today," an SLC media release said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

Shammi first assumed the presidency in February 2019, succeeding Thilanga Sumathipala, who had also faced allegations of corruption. Initially regarded as a loyalist of Sumathipala, Silva gradually consolidated his authority, going on to win four consecutive terms, three of them uncontested.

During his seven-year tenure, Sri Lanka’s men’s and women’s teams did achieve Asia Cup success, but consistent performances on the global stage remained elusive. The men’s side, in particular, endured a significant decline in rankings and suffered disappointing campaigns at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup, where they finished ninth, as well as at the 2024 and 2026 editions of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. Even the recent appointment of Gary Kirsten as head coach has done little to ease calls for leadership change.

Silva has often highlighted SLC’s standing as the country’s wealthiest sports body, pointing to record revenues despite broader economic challenges. However, his administration was frequently overshadowed by persistent allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

Tensions peaked in late 2023, when then sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe attempted to dissolve the board, citing audited evidence of misconduct. The current situation remains legally complex, particularly regarding the resignation of the executive committee and the proposed appointment of Wickramaratne to lead an interim setup.

To navigate internal governance constraints, the government has typically invoked Section 33 of the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973, which empowers the sports minister to dissolve a national sports body and install interim arrangements. However, such moves risk breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s strict stance against government interference.

That concern is underscored by events in November 2023, when Ranasinghe used similar powers to remove the board, prompting the ICC to suspend Sri Lanka’s membership. The suspension led to a loss of ICC funding and the relocation of the Under-19 World Cup from the country.