Sri Lanka Cricket's transformation committee has handed over a draft constitution to the sports minister as part of broader reforms aimed at improving governance and cricket standards. The document still requires approval from multiple government bodies and parliament before becoming law.
The Sri Lanka Cricket transformation committee has submitted a draft constitution to the country's sports minister, marking a significant milestone in the organisation's governance restructuring efforts. However, the document must navigate several approval stages before taking legal effect, including reviews by the attorney general and legal draftsman's department, cabinet approval, gazette publication, and parliamentary readings with a two-week challenge period.
Heading the SLC's cricket operations, former batter Sidath Wettimuny outlined the committee's dual focus on governance improvements and on-field performance enhancements during a media briefing. The initiatives include upgrading coaching standards, umpiring practices, and pitch curation across all cricket levels. The committee is exploring the adoption of iHawk, an automated pitch analysis technology used in English county cricket since 2023. Additionally, discussions are underway to engage high-performance coach Ashley Ross to lead a two-year coaching development programme, with Wettimuny acknowledging gaps in Sri Lankan cricket's coaching capabilities.
The proposed constitution introduces structural changes to SLC's leadership, featuring a 14-member board split equally between appointed and elected representatives. Seven appointed positions will be filled by nominated bodies including the bar association and chartered accountants institute, with mandatory roles for specialists in accounting, IT, marketing, and law alongside a retired cricketer. The remaining seven seats will be elected by the membership body, which would be further reduced from 60 to 39 members under the new framework.
Wettimuny highlighted collaboration with former players Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara on women's cricket development, citing the sport's rapid growth. The committee also proposes converting the Under-23 domestic tournament to Under-21 to better facilitate player transitions to international cricket. Sports physiotherapist Alex Kountouris recently conducted a week-long assessment of SLC's strength and conditioning practices, with expectations he will continue periodic engagement.
