- Says Jay Shah not a factor to be reckoned with
Former Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe says that despite the threat of Sri Lanka being suspended by the ICC again, whoever forms the next Government will need to dissolve Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) with immediate effect, if the sport is to be rid of its deep rooted malaise – the corrupt-ridden Ex-Co.
Speaking to The Daily Morning Sports, the now sacked Ex-Minister said that the next Government that is formed has no other alternative but to dissolve the Maitland-Place-situated body, despite the probable danger of its membership being suspended by the Dubai-based world body.
“You can see for yourself that currently, the cricket boards of both Afghanistan and the USA are similarly suspended by the ICC,” he argued.
“But, none of those two countries have stopped playing international cricket to date. In fact, the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is being co-hosted by USA Cricket. So this talk of us being suspended is mere eyewash, if you ask me. Even if we were to be banned, that is a risk we will need to take for the overall good of this game in this country, and sometimes, you need to take the bull by its horns. This is one such situation.”
Ranasinghe who is currently spearheading a one-man crusade to dispense with the SLC Ex-Co is also firmly of the opinion that Sri Lanka should not be unduly perturbed by any interference on its game by the BCCI helmed by its controversial Secretary Jay Shah.
When asked whether Sri Lanka will be able to operate sans the alleged intervention of the powerful BCCI Secretary, the outspoken former lawmaker noted that whoever is helming, the SLC should have the spine to work according to its own agenda and the country’s sports law, as Sri Lanka is a sovereign and independent State.
Ranasinghe, strongly disapproving, emphasised that the ‘Jay Shah factor’ is not required for Sri Lanka when dealing with BCCI.
He also said that, at the end of the day, if cricket in this country is to be put back on the rails for once and for all, the onus will be on the public to ensure that a new leader who is not influenced by the mega bucks of SLC is installed after the country’s next hustings.
“We need to ensure that whoever becomes the next Head of State is not bought by the Ex-Co of the SLC,” the ousted Minister added.
“He or she should not fall into the pocket of the SLC Ex-Co, or else our long struggle to open a new chapter for cricket and all other spheres in Sri Lanka will continue to be a false dawn. If that be the case, then it is not us personally who will be the losers but the game and its players. That is one thing that the people must bear in mind ahead of the forthcoming elections.”