Pramodya Wickremasinghe has become the first casualty, some might say convenient scapegoat in what has become an eye-wash at the corruption-ridden Sri Lanka Cricket administration.
His name was among 10 former and present players sent to the Sports Ministry from which five were to be picked to form a new team Selection Committee replacing the one headed by Wickremasinghe.
Wickremasinghe himself was a disaster as far as player selections were concerned that led to unprecedented losses by the team including catastrophic results at the concluded World Cup in India where the team finished ninth in the 10-nation championship and even failed to qualify for the revived Champions Trophy in 2025.
But while the hierarchy of Sri Lanka Cricket continue to remain entrenched even defying Parliament, Wickremasinghe has paid the price although he deserved the chop even before the 2023 World Cup for his contentious and highly disputed conduct.
But Wickremasinghe in a statement to the media said he and his team were satisfied with what they did during a 30-month stint in picking players.
“It is my belief that I and my fellow selectors have found several highly talented young cricketers who will be the future of the Sri Lankan cricket team.
“This current group of young cricketers will achieve great heights after gaining much valuable experience within the next two years.
“As the Chairman of Selectors I had to make many hard and unpopular decisions and I would like to reiterate that these decisions were made with the best interest of Sri Lanka Cricket in mind”, Wickremasinghe said in his Statement.
He has been replaced by the mild-mannered batsman Upul Tharanga who is yet to announce his retirement from the game as he continues to play First Class cricket for the Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC).
Tharanga’s name was even disputed in Parliament and objected to by Arjuna Ranatunga who is considered the most sought after voice in cricket but continues to be sidelined without a say in the running of the sport’s administration at the highest level.
The others in the replacement Selection Committee are Dilruwan Perera, Indika de Saram, Ajantha Mendis and Tharanga Paranavithana.
