Former Sri Lanka cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga turned journalist last Thursday when at a press briefing, he asked a series of questions from the journalists who were in attendance.
“Can you find out what happened to the 50 thousand dollars that Asia Cup organisers paid to be given to Sri Lankan ground staff which they yet have to get and then can you also find out how much came from the Asia Cup to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
“Then can you also find out why in the past the International Cricket Council (ICC) did not ban or suspend Sri Lanka during the past when as many as 14 Interim Committees were set up to administer Sri Lanka Cricket and do you know that Shammi Silva (SLC president) sent fourteen and not three letters to the ICC,” Arjuna asked reporters at his Press conference on Thursday.
The former World Cup winning captain then said that Shammi Silva is an unknown entity outside Sri Lanka and famous Sri Lanka cricketers like Aravinda de Silva, Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralidaran have nothing to do with the administration of cricket in the island which he said was a tragedy.
Coming down hard on the ICC for imposing a ban on Sri Lanka Cricket, Ranasinghe said it was high time the global keeper of the sport came down from its pedestal and practiced fair-play and not hypocrisy.
“The ICC should first look into the laws of each country before deciding. Afghanistan has banned women’s cricket but the ICC recognises the Afghanistan cricket board”, said Ranatunga.
“I have also got to know that Shammi Silva has conveyed to the ICC that there is no reference to fraud and corruption in the Auditor General’s report that he handed over to the ICC.
“I think Shammi has given the ICC the Sinhala report and not the English version of the report,” said a sarcastic Ranatunga.
The former south paw batsman said his fight has just begun and that as many as 80 former first class cricketers from Sri Lanka are ready to join him in the fight.
“We don’t need foreign experts to take care of our cricket. There are some 80 former players now based in Australia who told me they want to return and even work free of charge with the Sri Lanka team under an Interim Committee,” said Ranatunga.
