Sri Lanka Cricket vehemently refutes the false, derogatory and malicious allegations made by Mr. Nalin Bandara MP at the Parliament today on the Asia Cup 2022.
SLC categorically states that the said statement is baseless, frivolous and vexatious and had been uttered with zero knowledge of the subject matter.
We wish to categorically state that ASIA CUP is not a tournament belonging to Sri Lanka Cricket to claim its ownership and to host it at the SLC’s sole discretion unlike a Bilateral tour which is held in Sri Lanka and to the contrary Asia Cup is organized, structured and controlled by the Organization called and referred to as the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) which membership constitutes of cricket playing Member countries within the geographical area of Asia.
Being an independent entity, ACC offers the opportunity for each member country to host the Asia Cup in each respective year of such member country subject to a stringent evaluation and confirmation of the supporting background and other requirements which provides a conducive environment for hosting of the said event with a view to maximizing the profits of the ACC.
Therefore, it should be noted that the Asian Cricket Council having closely monitored the situation and developments in Sri Lanka during the last few months (both economic and social) after much deliberation on the 24th of July at a meeting held among member states decided to play the matches of the 2022 Asia Cup in UAE instead of Sri Lanka, whilst keeping the hosting opportunity and rights to SLC.
By the statement made by MP Nalin Bandara the actual perspective and the nature of the entire Asia Cup 2022 has been fully distorted and Sri Lanka Cricket is intensely of the view that no Member of the Parliament should make such statements by the use of Parliamentary privileges at a time when SLC has been performing extremely well and the Management has given all the support not only to the Players and game of Cricket but also to the Country, Economy and also to the other sports whilst bringing much needed forex income.
Further SLC condemns the highly irresponsible statement made by Mr. Nalin Bandara MP as it appears that the said statement has been made without verifying the facts and without making any inquiry from Sri Lanka Cricket.
It should be further noted that no independent report or research has ever revealed nor confirmed that the Country has ever received a staggering amount of USD 50 Million from hosting an event in Sri Lanka as claimed by Mr. Bandara MP and SLC considers such comments are instigated by few individuals with vested interests to destabilize Sri Lanka Cricket to achieve their personal goals.
SLC further wishes to state that no venue in Sri Lanka is capable of accommodating 100,000 spectators for a single match in any of the tournament in this magnitude as the maximum stadium capacity generally limits to 30,000. therefore, SLC considers that the said comment made by Mr. Bandara on the spectator participation is rendered futile.
Commenting on the hosting of bilateral events, SLC wishes to inform that a bilateral tour is only involved with two nations competing each other and under the present situation in the country, the logistical and other arrangements in relation to the two recently concluded bilateral tours (Australia Tour and Pakistan Tour) were fulfilled amidst greatest difficulties.
However, an Event like Asia Cup is involved with six highly reputed Cricketing Nations in the world and under the prevailing circumstances in Sri Lanka owing to the fuel crisis, power supply limitations and other logistical issues confronted by both facilitators and spectators, it was considered by the ACC that the hosting of the event in Sri Lanka is beyond imaginable in view of the added demands made by stakeholder and its commercial partners.
Moreover, SLC strongly believes that the disgruntle elements have now been activated to jeopardize and destabilize affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket and game of Cricket with a view to attaining their vicious motives when in actuality, SLC is heading to the right and passionate directions. Therefore, SLC wishes to state that by the said statements of such individuals not only hatred is spread among the general public towards the affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket but also misleads the hierarchy of the Government by such baseless and false facts and accusations.
