New Delhi: The cricket level of Sri Lanka has declined significantly in the last few years. After the departure of the old players, the team has not been able to get back on track. The Sri Lankan team, which was once considered very powerful, is now counted among the weak teams. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has received a bad news from ICC. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given a big blow to Sri Lankan cricket. ICC has snatched the hosting of the first Women's Champions Trophy to be held in the year 2027 from Sri Lanka. This tournament is to be played between 14 to 28 February, but now it will not be held on the grounds of Sri Lanka. The biggest reason for this is being said to be the government's interference in the Sri Lankan Cricket Board. ICC has a very strict rule that the government of any country should not have any direct control or interference in its cricket board.
Why did ICC take this step?
But in April this year, the Sri Lankan government had temporarily taken over the board and formed a transformation committee to look after the functioning of cricket. The ICC has been continuously saying that an independent board should be formed by holding elections as soon as possible, but this did not happen. Angered by this, ICC has taken this strict step. This has also been confirmed by Transformation Committee Secretary Prakash Shafter. He told that yes, this tournament has now been thrown out of Sri Lanka. Now it will be played somewhere else, but it is not yet decided what the new venue will be.
This has happened with Sri Lanka before also
Let us tell you that due to this interference of the government, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board was suspended for a few months in 2023-24 also. Even at that time, they had to pay a heavy price for it and the hosting of the 2024 Men's Under-19 World Cup was snatched from them and given to South Africa.
What will happen to the Sri Lankan team?
It has not been decided yet who will be the next host of this six-team tournament. A decision on this will be taken in the next board meeting of ICC. Another big question has arisen due to this decision. Will Sri Lankan women's team now be able to play in this tournament? Actually, the host country along with the top ranking teams were to get direct entry in this tournament. At present the Sri Lankan team is at sixth position in the ranking. Now that the hosting rights have been snatched away, clouds of danger are looming over their playing in this tournament.