Sri Lanka has moved a major overhaul of its cricket administration into the parliamentary process, with proposed legislation seeking to fundamentally restructure how Sri Lanka Cricket is governed, led and held accountable.
The Sri Lanka Cricket Bill was presented to Parliament for its First Reading by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage on October 6, according to a report by Newswire. The legislation would establish SLC as a statutory body responsible for governing, regulating, promoting and developing cricket across the country.
The move follows Cabinet approval in June for legislation to restructure SLC and the subsequent clearance of the draft by the Attorney General. The Bill was gazetted in late September and must complete the parliamentary process before its proposed governance changes can take effect.
New Board would split elected and independent directors
One of the most significant changes would be the creation of a 14-member SLC Board divided equally between seven Elected Directors and seven Independent Directors.
The Chairperson would have to be selected from the Independent Directors, while an Elected Director would serve as Deputy Chairperson. At least two of the seven Independent Directors would be required to be women.
The proposed model would represent a significant departure from a leadership structure driven primarily by SLC’s electoral system. Independent Directors would serve four-year terms with the possibility of one reappointment, while Elected Directors would be subject to an overall eight-year tenure limit.
The legislation also sets professional requirements for independent positions. These include specified levels of experience in areas such as accountancy and law, alongside roles requiring backgrounds in international cricket, information technology, marketing, finance, management or governance.
For the former international cricketer position, an eligible candidate would need to have played at least 15 international matches and must not have played international cricket during the preceding 36 months.
Voting system set for major restructuring
The Bill would also reorganise SLC’s membership and voting framework through a three-tier system.
Tier A members would receive two votes each, while Tier B members and Provincial Cricket Associations would have one vote apiece. Tier C members would be able to participate as observers but would not have voting rights.
District Cricket Associations would no longer exercise a direct vote under the proposed structure, with their representation instead channelled through Provincial Cricket Associations.
Changing the voting model addresses one of the central areas targeted by the wider restructuring effort, which has developed amid longstanding debate over how SLC’s electoral system influences control of the organisation.
Tougher restrictions target conflicts of interest
The legislation proposes an extensive set of restrictions governing who can serve on the SLC Board.
Among those who would be disqualified are politicians, SLC employees and people with interests in betting or gaming. The restrictions would also cover journalists and media institution owners, player agents, as well as certain close relatives of national players, coaches and match officials.
The framework is designed to create greater separation between Board decision-making and individuals or industries that could present conflicts with SLC’s responsibilities.
Independent Directors would be appointed through a separate Nomination Committee rather than elected by SLC members. The committee would draw its membership from professional and business institutions as well as the Sports Ministry administration and National Sports Council, while SLC office bearers and directors would be prohibited from serving on it.
The Bill would give that committee responsibility for seeking applications and selecting candidates who satisfy the statutory requirements for independent positions.
Financial oversight would extend to Parliament
SLC would face new public reporting requirements under the proposed framework.
Audited financial statements and annual reports would have to be submitted to Parliament and made available online, creating a direct parliamentary reporting mechanism around the organisation’s finances and administration.
The legislation would also give the Sports Minister powers to initiate audits and inquiries when credible allegations involving corruption, financial irregularities or governance failures arise. Depending on the findings and applicable provisions, directors could face suspension or removal.
Those powers will operate against a sensitive international backdrop. Sri Lankan cricket has previously faced International Cricket Council intervention over government involvement in the administration of the sport, including an ICC suspension in 2023 over concerns about government interference.
The implementation of any new oversight framework would therefore have to coexist with the autonomy requirements governing ICC members.
Bill creates wider governance and management structure
The proposed reforms extend beyond the composition of the main Board.
The legislation provides for specialist bodies including National Men’s and National Women’s Selection Committees and a Cricket Committee, establishing defined structures for key cricket-related functions.
It also formalises executive roles including a Chief Executive Officer and Compliance Officer. The CEO would be responsible for administration, transactions and implementing Board decisions within the authority established by the governance framework.
More broadly, SLC would be charged with administering and developing the game across international, national, provincial, district and school levels, including responsibilities relating to coaching, training and high-performance programmes.
The stated framework of the legislation places good governance, integrity, transparency, accountability, inclusivity and equal opportunity among the principles underpinning cricket administration, alongside protecting participants and safeguarding the sport against corruption and other improper activity.
Reform now moves through parliamentary process
The Bill does not immediately replace SLC’s existing administration or bring the proposed Board structure into operation. Those changes depend on the legislation completing the parliamentary process and being enacted.
Transitional provisions have been included to address the movement of assets, liabilities, contracts, employees and ongoing proceedings to the body established under the new legislation.
If enacted in its current form, the Bill would reshape several of the mechanisms through which Sri Lankan cricket is governed, from who can sit on the Board and how directors reach leadership positions to the distribution of voting power and the level of financial scrutiny applied to the organisation.
For now, the First Reading moves the reform effort from the drafting and gazetting stages into Parliament, where the proposed structure will face the next phase of the legislative process.
