Arjuna Ranatunga has accused the BCCI secretary of ruining Sri Lankan cricket by placing pressure on them. According to the 59-year-old, Jay Shah has immense influence because of his father, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah.
An interaction with Ranatunga on Monday indicated that BCCI has the impression that Sri Lankan officials are under its control because of the connection between them and Jay Shah. During the 1996 World Cup, The Daily Mirror quoted the captain as saying:
“As a result of Jay Shah’s connection to SLC officials, the BCCI believes that they can trample over and control SLC. Sri Lanka Cricket is under Jay Shah’s control. SLC is suffering due to pressure from Jay Shah. A man in India is ruining Sri Lankan cricket. His father is India’s home minister, so he is only powerful because of him.”
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In contrast, Sri Lanka had a forgettable 2023 World Cup campaign, winning just two matches against England and the Netherlands. The sports minister sacks the entire cricket board after a shambolic performance against India, scoring 55 all-out to lose by 302 runs. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was suspended after losing to New Zealand in their final match of the season. This is because of excessive interference by the Sri Lankan government.
Roshan Ranasinghe, Sri Lanka’s sports minister, sacked the entire board following Sri Lanka’s humiliating performance in the ICC World Cup 2023.
Ranasinghe established a temporary committee under Ranatunga’s direction to investigate the situation. However, the board was reestablished a day later when the courts in Sri Lanka issued a 14-day stay order on the gazette that had abolished the board, thereby reinstating it.
A few days later, the ICC suspended the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, effective immediately, due to major government meddling in the board’s operations.
