Arjuna Ranatunga’s interim committee defies BCCI diktat by lifting domestic ban on Lankan players taking part in the ICL
Arjuna Ranatunga’s interim committee defies BCCI diktat by lifting domestic ban on Lankan players taking part in the ICL
MUMBAI: Sri Lanka Cricket’s decision to allow its Indian Cricket League-linked players to participate in the domestic Premier League Club Cup, beginning in October, has come as a shot in the arm for the ICL.
Incidentally, the decision was taken by Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) 10-member interim committee headed by president Arjuna Ranatunga, the Island Nation’s strong-willed World Cup-winning skipper.
While BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah expressed ‘concern’ at the growing clout of the ICL, the bold decision can be construed as a defiance of the Indian Board, the Big Brother in the sub-continent. Sri Lanka cricket were surviving on a bank overdraft of approximately $6 million early this year and India’s Test and one-day tour of the country was a boost to their revenue generation.
The BCCI has left no stone unturned in coercing other boards to ban ICL players. However, Marvan Atapattu, the former Sri Lankan skipper and a part of the Delhi Giants, termed the Ranatunga-headed interim committee’s decision as a bold step. “India has the financial clout but that does not mean they should try and come in the way of the ICL prospering. They should leave the final decision regarding the ICL’s status to the International Cricket Council (ICC),” Atapattu told DNA.
“This is a bold decision on behalf of the interim committee. Sri Lankan players were suffering after they were disallowed from playing in unrecognised tournaments. But this decision to take the players back into the fold is the step in the right direction. It is a wake up call for other cricket boards to consider supporting ICL players and allowing them to play competitive cricket during the domestic season,” Atapattu added.
“It’s unfair that those, who are supposed to be promoting the game are coming in the way of players earning a livelihood and doing what they are most passionate about — playing cricket.”
Incidentally, Atapattu managed to hold on to his job as an expert commentator when he was working for ESPN from its Singapore studio. “There was immense pressure from those who are against the ICL to try and get me removed from the commentary team. I think that was a very cheap tactic. I thank those who supported me,” Atapattu added.
The SLC had banned its five ICL players — Atapattu, Russel Arnold, Upul Chandana, Avishka Gunawardena and Saman Jayantha — from playing any official cricket matches.
ICL’s business head Himanshu Modi told DNA: “We welcomed the decision of SLC to allow ICL players to play domestic cricket. We hope this will open the doors towards settling all that is going on in the cricket world. After looking at this decision, I am confident more and more cricket boards will consider allowing players to join the ICL without any hassle. Every country has a pool of 25 to 30 players and out of them there are a set of players, who want to play for the ICL.”
Kiran More, an executive board member of the ICL said: “We have been appealing for ICC’s affiliation for the ICL, but we know it will take some time. We are hopeful about a positive reply from the ICC.” According to SLC’s Shane Fernando, the players had requested the interim committee to lift the ban.
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