Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Appoint Six-Member Selection Committee; Romesh Kaluwitharana Included

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has appointed a new six-member selection panel which includes two of the 1996 World Cup-winning members of the Sri Lanka team. The six-member panel was ratified by Honorable Namal Rajapaksa, the Minister of Youth and Sports.

Sri Lanka will be next hosting Bangladesh for a two-Test series from April 21 and April 29 onwards, with both matches to be played in Kandy. After this, Sri Lanka will be traveling to England for three ODIS and three T20Is. The three T20Is will be played on June 23, 24, and 26 in Cardiff and Southampton respectively.

The three ODIs will be played on June 29, July 1, and July 4 at Chester-Le-Street, London, and Bristol respectively. The Sri Lankan team will also be playing two practice matches against Kent and Sussex on June 18 and 21 respectively before the start of the white-ball series.

The Six Member Selection Committee Features Two 1996 World Cup Winners

Former fast bowler Pramodya Wickramasinghe will be heading the committee after being named as the chairman of the same. These appointments were made with immediate effect which was confirmed by Sri Lanka Cricket. Wickramasinghe has been retained from the previous committee into the new committee.

Pramodya Wickramasinghe was a member of the Sri Lankan 1996 World Cup-winning team, along with the opener and former wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana, who formed an amazing opening partnership with left-handed Sanath Jayasuriya and wreaked havoc amongst opposition bowlers who were witless against them. The National Sports Council (NSC) Chairman Mahela Jayawardene had invited Kaluwitharana to join the committee which he accepted.

Other members of the committee include Hemantha Wickramaratne, Varuna Waragoda, S. H. U Karnain, and B.A. Thilaka Nilmini Gunarathne.

In January, chief selector Ashantha de Mel had resigned from his post after England defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in their own backyard. De Mel said it had always been his plan to resign as a selector at the conclusion of the England series. He had earlier stepped down as team manager — a post he had simultaneously held. He had held both roles since November 2018.

Sri Lanka Cricket Named Four-Member Cricket Committee in February including Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan

Before naming this selection committee, the Sri Lanka Cricket board had announced a cricket committee comprising of four of the biggest and best former players of the nation. Spin bowling legend Muttiah Muralitharan, former captain Kumar Sangakkara, Aravinda de Silva, and Roshan Mahanama were named in the committee.

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