ICC lifts ban on cricket in Sri Lanka

The decision was taken after the regulator obtained the consent of the Cricket Board.

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the ban on Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will be lifted with immediate effect. The ICC suspended Sri Lanka's membership for the duration of the 2023 ICC World Cup in November due to continued government interference in its board meetings. "The International Cricket Council today lifted the ban on Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) with immediate effect," the ICC said in a press release.

"On November 10, 2023, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was suspended for failing to fulfill its obligations as a member of the ICC, which includes Sri Lanka," it added. , the regulation and/or management of cricket.

“Despite the ban being lifted, Sri Lanka has lost the right to host the ICC U19 Men's Cricket World Cup, which is currently being held in South Africa.

“The ICC Board will meet on November 21 and note that while Sri Lanka can continue to compete internationally in cricket and ICC bilateral events, the ongoing Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup will be held in South Africa. The directors have "monitored the situation since the suspension and now believe that SLC is not meeting its obligations as a member," the press release added. "I don't do that."

Notably, the ICC said in November that Sri Lanka Cricket had "gravely failed" in its obligations as a member state to "carry out its affairs independently and ensure that there is no government interference". That's true. The ICC banned Sri Lankan cricket just a day after Parliament asked the board to resign following Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe's claims that cricket had lost millions of dollars.