Sri Lanka Cricket (Getty Images)

New Delhi: Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva has resigned from his post with immediate effect, marking a major upheaval in the Sri Lankan cricket administration.In an official statement issued on Wednesday, the SLC confirmed that not only Silva but all office-bearers and members of the executive committee have stepped down.“Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva has resigned from his post, with effect from today. Along with him, the office bearers and members of the SLC Executive Committee have also submitted their resignations,” the board said.The resignation was formally communicated to Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage.Silva became the SLC president for the first time after replacing Thilanga Sumathipala in 2019. Over the years, he strengthened his position within the board and served four consecutive terms, with most of his terms unopposed.During his tenure, Sri Lanka enjoyed some success, including Asia Cup titles for both the men’s and women’s teams. However, the national team also struggled badly in major ICC tournaments.According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the Sri Lankan men’s team faced disappointing campaigns in the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cups. The team’s international ranking also declined during Silva’s tenure.Even the recent appointment of Gary Kirsten as head coach failed to quell the growing criticism of the board and demands for administrative change.Although SLC has not officially revealed the reason behind the mass resignations, the move is one of the biggest changes in Sri Lankan cricket administration in recent years.

what now?

The Sri Lankan government has temporarily taken control of Sri Lanka Cricket and said the move was aimed at bringing about “structural reforms” in the game. The decision came a day after SLC president Shammi Silva and the entire executive committee resigned following government intervention.“All administrative functions of Sri Lanka Cricket will be temporarily brought under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, effective today,” the ministry was quoted as saying by AFP.The government said a new committee would soon be appointed “to address the current issues in cricket and implement structural reforms”.Sri Lanka cricket has long faced allegations of corruption and mismanagement, while the national team recently suffered an early exit from the T20 World Cup.