The SJB said on Saturday that the International Cricket Council (ICC) would not have suspended Sri Lanka’s membership if the Interim Committee appointed by the Sports Minister had been allowed to function.

Addressing the media in Colombo, Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella said the ICC had not suspended the membership of Pakistan and South Africa because both countries had interim committees. “If the interim committee had been allowed to function HERE, the ICC would not have been able to resort to such action,” Kiriella said.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has been banned by the ICC, citing various reasons, with the primary concern being that SLC should be able to operate independently in accordance with international cricket rules. The ICC has said the SLC is not safeguarding its independence and has yielded to external pressures, including interference from the government—a violation of international cricket rules.

Some officials from the SLC Board have allegedlycalled on the ICC to impose the ban, a move characterized as a betrayal by the Leader of the Opposition during Friday’s parliamentary session. In Sri Lanka, there are 142 clubs with voting powers but only 12 of them play cricket.