DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board on Tuesday, decided to shift the U19 World Cup 2024 from Sri Lanka to South Africa, ESPN Cricinfo reported.
According to the details, the decision was taken unanimously by the board as a consequence of the apex cricket body’s provisional ban on Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
For the unversed, the ICC suspended SLC’s membership after the latter had failed to ensure there was no government interference in its affairs.
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The ICC revealed that it had found that the SLC was “in serious breach of its obligations as a Member, in particular, the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and to ensure that there is no government interference”.
ICC imposed the sanction on the SLC a day after Sri Lanka’s parliament asked the board to resign over allegations of financial corruption.
The ICC board will decide on the conditions of the suspension at a later time, according to a statement released by the ICC.
The SLC, the richest sports organization in the bankrupt island nation, faced a crisis after their humiliating World Cup defeat by India last week.
The Sri Lankan parliament unanimously called for the resignation of SLC’s elected board members, citing allegations of unprecedented corruption involving millions of dollars.
The parliament’s non-binding resolution has not yet received a response from the board.
Opposition leader of Sri Lanka’s parliament Sajith Premadasa said the move was a “historic resolution that sends a message to the world that Sri Lankan legislators have united to defend cricket and restore the integrity of the game”.
The sports board was sacked by the minister but was restored the following day by the Court of Appeal due to pending litigation in two weeks.
The ICC has strict regulations against political influence in cricket and has taken disciplinary actions against Sri Lanka in the past.
Earlier in September, the ICC unveiled the schedule for the U19 World Cup 2024.
However, with Sri Lanka’s suspension, it is uncertain whether the tournament will run as per the previously announced schedule.