Former Sri Lanka cricket team captain Arjuna Ranatunga has accused secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Jay Shah of ruining cricket in Sri Lanka.
This statement from Arjuna Ranatunga came after the debacle that Sri Lanka faced in the 2023 men’s ODI cricket world cup in India and suspension of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) by the international cricket council (ICC).
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“Because of the connection between SLC officials and Jay Shah they (the BCCI) are under the impression that they can trample and control SLC,” Arjuna Ranatunga was quoted by Sri Lankan newspaper Daily Mirror.
“Jay Shah is running Sri Lanka Cricket. SLC is being ruined because of pressure from Jay Shah. One man in India is ruining Sri Lankan cricket,” said Sri Lanka’s 1996 world cup winning captain.
Also read: ICC suspends Sri Lanka Cricket’s membership over government interference
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Notably, BCCI secretary Jay Shah is the son of India’s home minister Ami Shah.
“He is only powerful because of his father, who is India’s home minister,” Ranatunga said.
Following the dismal performance of the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2023 cricket world cup, the island country’s sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe sacked the SLC board and installed an interim committee headed by Arjuna Ranatunga.
However, Sri Lanka’s courts reinstated the board a day later by issuing a 14-day stay order on the gazette that dissolved the board.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had suspended the membership of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) with immediate effect over government interference.