Sri Lanka sacks entire Cricket Board following humiliating defeat against India

COLOMBO: Following outrage over Sri Lanka's humiliating 302-run defeat against India in the ongoing Cricket World Cup, Sri Lankan Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe suspended the whole Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board, the Sri Lanka-based Daily Mirror reported on Monday.

Ranasinghe also appointed an Interim Committee for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), chaired by World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga. The current committee stands "Temporally Suspended."

Ranasinghe has appointed Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka's World Cup-winning captain in 1996, to oversee a new interim board. A retired Supreme Court judge and a former board president are among the seven members of the newly constituted body.

Sri Lanka's disastrous 302-run World Cup loss to India last week, in which they were 14-6 at one stage and eventually dismissed for 55, sparked public outrage.

Notably, Sri Lanka's defeat against India occurred at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. After posting 357 in the first, India's ferocious pace-bowling outfit skittled the 1996 World Cup winners for 55 runs, with Mohammed Shami taking a fifer and Mohammed Siraj grabbing four.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's hope of making their place in the semi-finals ended on Monday after losing to Bangladesh by three wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. They will now look to seal a spot for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by trying to finish in the top eight.