Sri Lanka’s membership of the International Cricket Council has been suspended with immediate effect, the governing body announced on Friday.
The decision comes in the wake of government interference in Sri Lanka Cricket’s administration.
“The International Cricket Council board has suspended Sri Lanka Cricket’s membership of the ICC with immediate effect,” a statement from the ICC read.
“The ICC board met today and determined that Sri Lanka Cricket is in serious breach of its obligations as a member, in particular the requirement to manage its affairs autonomously and ensure that there is no government interference in the governance, regulation and/or administration of cricket in Sri Lanka.
“The conditions of the suspension will be decided by the ICC board in due course.”
Sri Lanka won just two of their nine matches at the Cricket World Cup in India and currently sit second bottom of the table, with other fixtures still left to be played, so look unlikely to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy.
The ICC board is set to meet again on November 21, when it is expected the next steps of the suspension process will be confirmed.
Sri Lanka are set to host the Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup at the start of 2024, with a three-Test tour of England scheduled for August.
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Afghanistan's captain Hashimatullah Shahidi bats in the Cricket World Cup match against Sri Lanka in Pune on Monday, October 30, 2023. AP -
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai fends off a short ball bowled by Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka. AP -
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai in action. AFP -
Sri Lanka's Kasun Rajitha, left, celebrates after taking the wicket of Afghanistan's Rahmat Shah. AFP -
Afghanistan's Rahmat Shah celebrates his fifty. AP -
Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran hits out. AFP -
Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka, left, celebrates with teammate after the dismissal of Afghanistan's Ibrahim Zadran. AP -
Afghanistan's Rahmat Shah plays a shot. AFP -
Sri Lanka's players celebrate after the dismissal of Afghanistan's Rahmanullah Gurbaz. AFP -
Sri Lanka's Dilshan Madushanka bowls. AFP -
Afghanistan's Mujeeb Ur Rahman, centre, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Sadeera Samarawickrama. AFP -
Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, right, celebrates with his captain Hashmatullah Shahidi after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's Dhananjaya de Silva. AFP -
Sri Lanka's captain Kusal Mendis plays a shot. AP -
Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana is clean bowled by Afghanistan's Fazalhaq Farooqi. AFP -
Afghanistan's Mujeeb Ur Rahman celebrates with his teammate Rahmanullah Gurbaz, left, after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka's captain Kusal Mendis. AFP -
Sri Lanka's Sadeera Samarawickrama plays a shot as Afghanistan wicketkeeper Rahmanullah Gurbaz reacts. AFP -
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai, left, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka. AP -
Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka drives. AFP -
Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal. AFP -
Afghanistan players celebrates the dismissal of Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne by Fazalhaq Farooqi. AP
