Minister of Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage has said that Sri Lanka’s national cricket selection process is based on players’ performances and abilities, rather than their ethnicity or regional background.
Responding to a question raised in Parliament, the Minister said an independent cricket selection committee was responsible for selecting players for the national team.
The question raised concerns over the limited opportunities given to cricketers Milan Rathnayake and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, despite their performances.
The MP questioned why players from certain regions appeared to receive greater opportunities, claiming that the current Sri Lankan team touring Pakistan was largely dominated by players from the Western and Southern provinces.
He also questioned whether the Sports Ministry would intervene to ensure fair opportunities for talented players from other regions.
Responding, Minister Gamage said the selection committee considered several factors when choosing players and did not use ethnicity or geographical background as selection criteria.
“I don’t think the selection committee considers ethnicity or regional background when selecting players. They consider the abilities of the players,” the Minister said.
He added that the Ministry could bring the concerns regarding the two cricketers to the attention of the selection committee and request that their performances be considered.
Sri Lanka Cricket’s selection committee is chaired by former cricketer Kapila Wijegunawardena, who was appointed in May 2026. (Newswire)