Sri Lanka Cricket is preparing sweeping constitutional reforms that could reshape how the board is governed, with proposals to reduce the number of electors, introduce mandatory female representation on key committees and modernise its administrative framework. According to a report by Cricinfo‘s Andrew Fidel Fernando, the changes are being developed by the board’s Transformation Committee as part of a broader effort to strengthen governance and bring the organisation more closely in line with international standards.
Governance reforms move closer
The Transformation Committee has identified constitutional reform as its primary objective and is currently working on a draft that will eventually be considered through Sri Lanka’s parliamentary process. While committee members have not disclosed the full contents of the proposed constitution, they confirmed that changes to the electoral structure and greater participation for women in decision-making will form part of the overhaul.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Eran Wickramaratne, Chair of the Transformation Committee, said: “We’re now at the end of June, and then we have to get into the process of parliament. The legal draftsman and the Attorney General’s department will also be involved in that process. I’m hoping, very quickly, within a couple of weeks even we may be able to get there. And then by July this would be tabled [in parliament].”
The proposed reforms would reduce the current electorate of 60 voting members while also reserving places for women on senior committees, measures intended to create a more streamlined and inclusive governance structure. Consultations with clubs remain ongoing before the final draft is completed.
International benchmarking remains central
Alongside domestic reform, the committee is seeking to ensure that the revised constitution complies fully with ICC regulations while drawing on governance models used by other Full Member boards.
Wickramaratne said: “We also wanted to make sure when we make the changes that we also internationally benchmark. We have hired the former legal counsel of the ICC itself to be an advisor to us, so that we internationally benchmark to other countries in terms of the constitutional changes. That process has already been done, and they have already been here.”
Former ICC Head of Legal David Becker has been retained to advise the committee throughout the process, helping ensure the proposed constitution remains consistent with the ICC’s governance framework while incorporating international best practice.
ICC engagement provides additional context
As previously reported by cricexec, ICC Chairman Jay Shah and BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia recently visited Colombo for discussions with Sri Lanka Cricket officials and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, with governance reform among the key topics on the agenda.
The Transformation Committee described its discussions with Shah as positive and said the ICC had responded constructively to the ongoing reform process. Senior ICC officials, including Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja, have also visited Sri Lanka in recent months as the constitutional review has progressed.
Despite the government’s role in appointing the Transformation Committee, its members have maintained that the reform process continues to comply with ICC regulations. Unlike previous occasions over the past decade, the ICC has not indicated that it is considering sanctions or suspension over government involvement in Sri Lanka Cricket’s administration.
Constitutional changes aim to shape SLC’s future
Although the committee has not committed to a definitive completion date or revealed the full details of the proposed constitution, the reforms represent one of the most significant attempts in recent years to reshape Sri Lanka Cricket’s governance structure.
With consultations continuing and parliamentary approval still required before any new constitution can take effect, the coming weeks are expected to play a key role in determining how the country’s cricket administration evolves for the years ahead.
