[1]Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara launched scathing attack against the cricket establishment in the country for indulging in corrupt practices which he feels needs to be eradicated at the earliest.
In an hour-long speech that earned him a standing ovation, Sangakkara charted the unique history of cricket in his country, and called on Sri Lanka Cricket to root out its corrupt practices, and recognise the huge role that the sport now needs to play in promoting reconciliation at the end of a 30-year civil war.
Terming the 1996 World Cup victory as something that unified the country Sangakkara feels the historic event changed the dynamics of the SLC.
He said that change happened as it turned “from a volunteer-led organisation run by well-meaning men of integrity into a multimillion-dollar organisation that has been in turmoil ever since.”
Although he didn’t take Sanath Jayasuriya’s name, but he did express his displeasure at how Jayasuriya who is a sitting MP was recalled into the team for a one-off T20 and the first ODI.
Without naming names, Sangakkara voiced his concern at the direction the sport in his country is now heading.
“Players from within the team itself became involved in power games within the board,” he said. “Officials elected to power in this way in turn manipulated player loyalty to achieve their own ends. At times, board politics would spill over into the team causing rift, ill feeling and distrust,” he was quoted as saying.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/kumarsangakkarafeaturedlrgjpg-288