Cricket Transformation Committee faces questions over alleged academy links, selection conflicts, Sports Act rules and compensation payments.
Sri Lanka’s Cricket Transformation Committee is facing growing scrutiny over allegations involving the new selection committee, private cricket academies, conflicts of interest and compliance with sports regulations.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka appointed the committee with the stated objective of reforming Sri Lankan cricket and introducing transparent governance. Eranga Wickramaratne chairs the committee.
Its appointment initially generated considerable hope among cricket followers. However, questions are now being raised over whether the reform process itself has created new governance concerns.
Critics allege that instead of removing practices associated with previous cricket administrations, the committee may have enabled another structure vulnerable to conflicts and irregularities.
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Cricket Transformation Committee Faces Academy Questions
Media reports have raised concerns about a member of the newly appointed cricket selection committee. The selection committee was appointed following recommendations linked to the transformation process.
According to those reports, the member owns two private cricket academies that are allegedly not registered.
The issue is significant because Extraordinary Gazette No. 2437/24, dated May 21, 2025, contains regulations governing selection committee appointments.
The source article states that these regulations prevent a selection committee member from becoming directly or indirectly involved in coaching activities.
Questions have therefore emerged over how the individual qualified for appointment if the reported academy involvement is accurate. The allegations also raise questions about information submitted during the appointment process.
The authorities have not been quoted in the supplied material responding to these allegations.
Further concerns surfaced following the recent death of a worker after an incident involving a 17-year-old cricketer at a Colombo cricket ground.
According to the source account, investigations revealed that the teenager had trained at an academy allegedly operated by the same selection committee member under another person’s name.
The article further claims that the academies were not properly registered with the Western Province Cricket Association or elsewhere.
Alleged Conflict of Interest in Player Selection
The academy connections have also prompted questions about possible conflicts when selecting players for Sri Lanka’s Under-19 team.
Critics argue that players connected with an academy operated by a selector could potentially receive an unfair advantage. However, the supplied material does not establish that any specific player was selected improperly.
An investigation published by the Aruna newspaper is also cited as claiming that parents were advised to contact the selection committee member directly when seeking to enrol children at the academy.
The article raises separate allegations concerning links between the reform process and an unnamed elite Colombo sports club.
According to the reports cited, the selection committee member has close connections with that club. Critics claim the broader transformation process has increasingly benefited individuals linked to the same circle.
The allegations have not been presented in the supplied material as findings by a court or disciplinary authority.
Questions Over Previous Selection Committee Removal
The Cricket Transformation Committee also faces criticism over the removal of the previous selection committee.
The source article claims that the former committee’s term was due to continue until 2027 but that its members were removed before that period ended.
It further alleges that more than Rs. 10 million in public funds was arranged as compensation to the affected members, reportedly to prevent legal proceedings following their removal.
Critics argue that the episode raises further questions about whether appointments complied with the Sports Act and relevant regulations.
They also claim that decisions made during the restructuring process have created additional conflicts of interest instead of resolving longstanding governance concerns within Sri Lankan cricket.
Calls for Presidential Intervention
The controversy has prompted calls for President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka to examine the allegations surrounding the Cricket Transformation Committee and its selection process.
The central concern is whether reforms introduced to improve transparency are themselves complying with the standards and regulations they were intended to strengthen.
The allegations concerning academy ownership, coaching involvement, player selection, compensation payments and links with an elite sports club require proper examination before conclusions about wrongdoing can be reached.
Critics argue that failure to address these questions could undermine public confidence in the reform process and damage the credibility of efforts to transform Sri Lankan cricket.
For a committee created to restore confidence in cricket administration, transparent answers to these allegations will now be essential.
