02 July,2011 07:24 AM IST | | AFP
Sri Lanka's sports minister said Friday he had forced the national cricket board committee to step down following allegations of financial mismanagement.
Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) committee, headed by former player Somachandra de Silva, was asked to resign on Thursday.
De Silva is being replaced by millionaire businessman and former SLC board chairman Upali Dharmadasa. On Thursday, the ministry said it would abide by a new ICC directive, requiring all national boards to be elected without political interference. The new SLC committee's tenure will be restricted to six-months with the sports ministry promising to hold elections in January next year.