ICC To Take Call On Sri Lanka's U-19 World Cup Participation

image-lp7z5xuvSLC was suspended by ICC [X.Com]

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reserved the decision on Sri Lanka's involvement in the forthcoming ICC U-19 World Cup 2024 for Tuesday (November 21). 

After suspending Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) over government interference in its functioning, the ICC will now take a call on whether the team from the Island nation can take part in the upcoming junior World Cup as hosts in January 2024.

Deliberations will be held on the matter in Ahmedabad with the likelihood that Sri Lanka could be barred from participation in the tournament like Zimbabwe were ahead of the 2021 men's T20 World Cup in UAE over government interference. The ICC continues to retain a strict stance when it comes to outside influence in the operations of its member boards. 

According to Cricbuzz, however, "ICC's suspension of the SLC was initiated at the request of the SLC itself. In a series of letters, elected SLC chief Shammi Silva pleaded with the ICC to take action against the body" after the government intervened in SLC's working operations and dismissed the board following Sri Lanka's World Cup 2023 exit. 

ICC To Determine Sri Lanka's Involvement In U-19 World Cup 

The matter escalated after the reigning Sri Lankan government dethroned the board regime and appointed an interim committee led by former captain Arjuna Ranatunga to look after the cricket governance. 

The intention was to grab the misgovernance by the scruff of its neck and revive the game in Sri Lanka but it proved to be a breach for ICC. 

Notably, there is a case being fought in the court by SLC for a return to power, which will have its next hearing on November 22 after the government of Sri Lanka decided to postpone the matter for Wednesday following the implementation of the gazette notification for two weeks. 

"The ICC Board met today and determined that Sri Lanka Cricket is in serious breach of its obligations as a Member, particularly the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government interference in the governance, regulation, and/or administration of cricket in Sri Lanka," ICC stated.

"The conditions of the suspension will be decided by the ICC Board in due course."