COLOMBO (Lakbima News): Sri Lanka Cricket’s governance reform advanced this week after the Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee reaffirmed its support for a new constitution. The draft constitution aims to strengthen accountability, improve administration and create a legal pathway for elections that meet International Cricket Council (ICC) requirements.
Transformation Committee chairman Eran Wickramaratne told Lakbima News the committee supports a democratically elected administration and wants elections held under a more transparent governance framework to protect the sport’s integrity.
Wickramaratne said the draft was developed after consultations with players, provincial associations, clubs, administrators and independent advisers. The committee said it used ICC governance recommendations and reviewed submissions from those groups when drafting the text.
He acknowledged that complete consensus is difficult in a wide consultative process, and said the committee carefully reviewed public submissions and stakeholder feedback before finalising the draft for submission to government authorities.
The proposal is under technical review by the Legal Draftsman’s Department and the Attorney General’s Department, the committee told Lakbima News. These legal reviews are required before the draft can proceed to Cabinet for approval.
Wickramaratne said the committee has completed its remit. The draft will now follow the legal and parliamentary steps set out for sports governance reform in Sri Lanka.
Under the proposed timetable, Cabinet must approve the draft, it must be published in the Gazette and then presented to Parliament. Citizens can make representations or challenge the proposal in the courts; the Supreme Court would then issue a determination before Parliament gives final approval.
The committee said it does not control the pace of these institutional and legal processes, which are governed by statutory and parliamentary timelines.
Transformation Committee member and former captain Kumar Sangakkara told Lakbima News the committee has engaged with the ICC’s governance unit and received technical guidance on the reform package.
Sangakkara said ICC regulations require Sri Lanka Cricket to return to a democratically elected administration. The proposed constitution aims to create the legal and institutional framework to enable that transition and meet ICC standards.
He said the committee is working on governance reforms intended to support the sustained development of cricket across all levels in Sri Lanka.
The committee is prioritising a governance structure based on accountability and transparency, with clearer accountability mechanisms, improved administrative processes and governance standards to ensure responsible management of the sport. Several provincial association officials who spoke to Lakbima News on condition of anonymity said they want clearer nomination rules and stronger safeguards against conflict of interest.
Sangakkara said discussions with the ICC have focused on strengthening the national team and creating an institution able to support player development and international competition.
The committee told Lakbima News it is working to move the constitution through Cabinet and Parliament while coordinating with the ICC on timelines, compliance and reporting for the reform process.
Sangakkara said he hopes the process will advance in the coming months. He added that, if implemented as drafted, Sri Lanka Cricket would be better positioned to meet ICC requirements and avoid governance problems seen in the past.
The remarks come as Sri Lanka Cricket begins a major governance reform. The proposed constitution will determine how the sport is administered at national and provincial levels across the country.
