Rebuilding trust matters as much as rebuilding the national team
Few institutions in Sri Lanka have commanded as much affection – or attracted as much controversy – as Sri Lanka Cricket. While victories on the field continue to unite the nation, recurring disputes over administration, governance and accountability have steadily eroded public confidence in the game’s custodians.
With the Government signalling that reform of cricket administration remains firmly on its agenda, the discussion must extend beyond personalities and elections. The central issue is governance.
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Modern sporting bodies are no longer simply organisers of matches. They are custodians of substantial commercial assets, broadcasters’ rights, sponsorship agreements and public goodwill.
They therefore require governance standards comparable to those expected of major listed companies, including transparency, independent oversight, financial accountability and clearly defined responsibilities.
Corporate governance experts have long argued that sporting institutions thrive when administration is insulated from political interference while remaining fully accountable for financial and operational performance.
The challenge is achieving both independence and accountability simultaneously.
Sri Lanka Cricket has experienced repeated cycles of reform, committee appointments and administrative change over the past two decades.
Yet each new beginning has often been followed by fresh controversy, creating a perception that structural weaknesses have never been fully addressed.
The opportunity now is different. Rather than focusing solely on who occupies office, policymakers could examine how decisions are made, how conflicts of interest are managed, how procurement is supervised and how performance is measured against internationally accepted governance standards.
Equally important is restoring confidence among players, sponsors and supporters. International cricket increasingly demands professional management capable of responding quickly to commercial opportunities while protecting the integrity of the game.
The national team will always be judged by victories and defeats. Administrators, however, should ultimately be judged by the institutions they leave behind.
Sri Lanka has produced world champions on the field. The next ambition should be to produce a governing institution whose standards of integrity command equal respect internationally.
If reform achieves that objective, the country’s most important victory may occur not during a Test match or World Cup, but in the boardroom.
