World Cup 2019: Sri Lanka refuse to take part in post-match press conference after losing to Australia

The Sri Lanka team refused to send anyone for the post-match press conference after their match against Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup on Saturday. Sri Lanka lost to Australia by 87 runs at The Oval. The did not send anyone to take part in the post-match press conference after the match. Teams usually comply with their post-match media commitments in the Cricket World Cup. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) will be taking up the matter with them and some reports suggested that they may face some form of sanction for their action as well. 

The Sri Lanka cricket team has refused to comply with @cricketworldcup precedent and aren’t sending anyone for the post-match press conference. The @ICC will be taking up the matter with @OfficialSLC #CCWorldCup2019 #cwc19 #AUSvSL

— Jamie Alter (@alter_jamie) June 15, 2019

The Sri Lankan team have earlier complained to organisers of the World Cup about the pitches, hotels and other issues.  They were not happy with the pitches rolled out for their games and also not satishifed with the quality of their accommodation.

Before Saturday's match against Australia at The Oval, Lankan team manager Ashantha de Mel had said they expected to find another green track which will aid their opponents.

"What we have found out is that for the four matches we have played so far at Cardiff and Bristol, the ICC has prepared a green pitch," he told Daily News. "At the same venues, the other countries have played on pitches are brown and favourable for high scoring."

"The pitch being prepared for our match against Australia on Saturday here at The Oval is green. It is not sour grapes that we are complaining."

"But it is very unfair on the part of the ICC (International Cricket Council) that they prepare one type of wicket for certain teams and another type for others."

The Sri Lankan camp were also disappointed with the standard of training facilities and accommodation, according to de Mel, who said the concerns were officially brought to the ICC's notice.

"Even the practice facilities provided at Cardiff were unsatisfactory," he added.

"Instead of three nets they gave us only two, and the hotel we were put up at Bristol did not have a swimming pool, which is very essential for every team - for the fast bowlers, especially, to relax their muscles after practice.

"The hotels that Pakistan and Bangladesh were put up at Bristol had swimming pools."

(With PTI Inputs)