“Cricket gets what it’s destined” – Aravinda de Silva

In the situation where majority of top former stakeholders in Sri Lanka is pushing for cricket reforms which includes a proposal for a formulation of an interim committee, former Sri Lanka captain Aravinda De Silva who is held in high esteem world over says “Cricket gets what it’s destined”.

De Silva who also did not play ball with the present Sports Minister ‘s proposition that four other former top cricketers– Mahela Jayawardena, Roshan Mahanama, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan be consultants to SLC on matters relating to high performance of SLC.

De Silva a long time aide of beleaguered SLC head Thilanga Sumathipala was the think tank behind the cricket project as SLC’s Cricket Committee chairman, but resigned from that post mid last year, but, remained close in contact. When the Thilanga Sumathipala administration took over the reins Sri Lanka cricket in 2015, de Silva worked tirelessly, but opted out when South African fast bowler Aland Donald was made consultant with de Silva’s knowledge, however the much touted brain centre of the SLC is said to be a concept of de Silva.

So much so with Sri Lanka Cricket in trouble late last year, the former sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekera too mooted a cricket advisory committee with proposals for a radical restructure of the country’s domestic cricket by strengthening the provincial cricket tournament over the clubs tournament. The committee included Aravinda de Silva, Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara, Anura Tennakone and Hemaka Amarasuriya.

The committee worked for over six months and forwarded a proposal with the input of the above cricketing stalwarts only to be rejected by the then SLC chairman Sumathipala.

Speaking to the Sunday Times de Silva said “I cannot say that I am happy or disappointed about the matter. We worked hard and made a proposal which we thought was good. However if they had rejected it, that is what Sri Lanka Cricket is destined.”