BY SANDHYA DISSANAYAKE, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
Newly-appointed Sri Lanka cricket selection committee chairman Kapila Wijegunawardene has confirmed that the national squads selected for the upcoming West Indies tour were chosen entirely by the previous selection panel.
Wijegunawardene stated that the white-ball and red-ball squads heading to the Caribbean had already been finalised before his committee officially began duties on May 22.
According to the former Sri Lanka fast bowler, the newly appointed panel has not made any changes or contributions to the touring squads, which were selected under the committee headed by former chairman Pramodya Wickramasinghe.
The 61-year-old former cricketer, who represented Sri Lanka in two Tests and 26 One Day Internationals between 1988 and 1992, was appointed chairman of the new five-member selection committee by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage last Thursday (21).
Wijegunawardene, a former player from S. Thomas’ College and the Colombo Cricket Club, said the new committee intends to maintain communication with the media regarding future selection matters, subject to the approval of the Cricket Transformation Committee.
The newly appointed panel also includes former Sri Lanka cricketers Amal Silva and Brendon Kuruppu, former first-class batter Varuna Waragoda, and former women’s cricketer and ICC match referee Vanessa de Silva.
However, controversy continues to surround the formation of the new selection committee, with critics questioning whether proper procedures were followed before the appointments were made.
Concerns have been raised over whether the Sports Ministry adhered to regulations governing the appointment and removal of national selection panels, including calls for nominations and official notification to the previous committee.
Former selection committee chairman Pramodya Wickramasinghe has reportedly sought clarification from the Sports Minister regarding the termination of his panel, claiming that no written communication had been received concerning the end of their two-year appointment.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket stated that the appointments to the new committee were based on nominations submitted by the Cricket Transformation Committee headed by former politician and investment banker Eran Wickramaratne.
Questions have also emerged regarding the neutrality of Vanessa de Silva’s appointment due to her concurrent role as an ICC match referee, adding further debate to the ongoing governance discussion within Sri Lankan cricket.
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