Kumar Sangakkara added to Sri Lanka Cricket's Transformation Committee
What's the story
Former skipper and legendary wicketkeeper-batter, Kumar Sangakkara, has been inducted into the nine-member Transformation Committee that will oversee Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). The move comes after the Sri Lankan government removed the previous office bearers on Wednesday. The committee also includes former cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Sidath Wettimuny, while other members come from corporate, legal, and political backgrounds.
Leadership role
Eran Wickramaratne to head the transformation committee
Former Member of Parliament, Eran Wickramaratne, has been appointed as the chairman of the Transformation Committee. He said he was "privileged to lead a nine-member committee of individuals with impeccable integrity and expertise." Wickramaratne stressed that their immediate priority is a complete overhaul of SLC's governance framework. The main focus will be on implementing a new constitution to provide a strong, modern foundation for the sport.
Strategic goals
Elevating Sri Lanka back to top tier
Wickramaratne also highlighted that the committee will focus on creating structures, world-class facilities, and incentive models to empower national teams. "Our goal is to enable our players to consistently deliver world-class performances and elevate Sri Lanka back to the top tier of international rankings," he said. The committee's composition includes members from various fields such as politics/corporate (Eran Wickramaratne), cricket/corporate (Roshan Mahanama and Sidath Wettimuny), corporate/cricket (Prakash Schaffter), and law/cricket (Upul Kumarapperum), among others.
Career highlights
Sangakkara's international career and IPL coaching stint
Sangakkara had an illustrious international career, playing 134 Tests, 404 ODIs, and 46 T20Is for Sri Lanka between 2000 and 2015. He is Sri Lanka's highest run-scorer in Tests and ODIs. Under his captaincy, the team was runners-up in the 2011 ICC Men's ODI World Cup, losing the final to India. After retiring from international cricket, he joined Rajasthan Royals' coaching staff in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and is currently their head coach for the ongoing season.