Arjuna Ranatunga wins the battle against Thilanga Sumathipala

Legendary Sri Lankan captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, has won the defamatory case against the Sri Lanka Cricket Board President Thilanga Sumathipala. Sumathipala has been victimised to immense criticism recently due to the dismal state of Sri Lankan Cricket. Fans seemed to have lost their cool and have been raising their voices against the board due to the horrific form of the national team.

Arjuna Ranatunga has been a rival of Sumathipala since long and dethroning the President has been his long time wish. Ranatunga held Sumathipala responsible for the team’s miserable run and he also demanded an investigation by the International Cricket Council. In his statement, Ranatunga mentioned that there was no ‘proper discipline’ in the team which is probably going through the worst phase in their history.

Background:

Ranatunga who was the President of the Sri Lankan Cricket Board at one point of time, maybe hinting at a second spell at the position. “There is no proper discipline in the team… (but) no point in blaming the cricketers when they get involved in all these gambling things. First they have to get the officials in order,” Ranatunga had told AFP.

Considering the dreadful recent performances of the team, Ranatunga also urged the ICC to carry out an investigation on Sumathipala over gambling connections and conduct of the Sri Lankan Cricket Board.

“There is no proper discipline in the team… (but) no point in blaming the cricketers when they get involved in all these gambling things. First they have to get the officials in order,” Ranatunga had added.

“I want to know if the ICC has a backbone to check if these people (Sri Lanka Cricket management) are in compliance with ethics standards,” Ranatunga stated previously.

Sumathipala replied to Ranatunga’s comments by saying that Ranatunga must resign from his post before complaining the government. He had added that people tend to blame the board whenever the national team fails to deliver.

“Every time the game is affected at the middle, Sri Lanka cricketers are not performing to the expectation, we hear this kind of noise coming from the same quarter,” Sumathipala had said.