SLC President hits hard at their detractors

Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva addresses the media at the SLC headquarters yesterday. Secretary Mohan de Silva, Sri Lanka white ball captain Dasun Shanaka and SLC CEO Ashley de Silva are also present

• Accuses them of slinging mud and trying to topple the administration

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva came down hard at their detractors who were now trying to sling mud at them and topple them from their pedestal.

At a media conference held at the SLC headquarters yesterday to apprise the media of the recently concluded Asia Cup, Silva revealed that the SLC had fixed deposits of over $ 40 million at present which has been accumulated over the past 2-3 years by the current administration, which even New Zealand Cricket does not have.

“Prior to the current SLC administration coming into power, the SLC never had beyond $ 2 million in its fixed deposit accounts. Sri Lanka Cricket now has more funds than New Zealand cricket which has only $ 35 million,” 

revealed Silva.

“People who are outside SLC know the amount of money that is in our kitty at present and are making various attempts to get their hands on this money by slinging mud at us and trying to topple our cricket. It’s not us who will suffer but the country. What these elements are trying to do is to create some sort of an issue to bring an interim committee into power. Once that is done all the money that is at the SLC will be spent and again we will be in the red.”

Continuing further, Silva said that the ICC was closely following the progress of Sri Lanka Cricket and had been constantly asking us why in the past 2-3 years we had not requested them for a loan.

“SLC in the past has operated on ICC loans. Our cricket is doing well and our finances are stable. I know who is behind this mud-slinging campaign to destroy Sri Lanka cricket. We won’t give room for that to happen.”

Silva said that SLC received more than $ 4 million from the Asia Cup, despite not being able to host the tournament. Sri Lanka went onto win the Asia Cup for the sixth time.