Former Sri Lanka Chairman of Cricket Selectors Pramodya Wickremasinghe is likely to return to the post, with the Minister of Sports set to appoint a new five-member national selection committee in the coming days, the Sunday Times reported.
Wickremasinghe, who first assumed office in April 2021, was removed following Sri Lanka’s disappointing campaign at the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. However, with Sri Lanka entering another crucial phase in international cricket, his name has once again emerged as the frontrunner to lead the country’s selection process, the newspaper added.
According to the Sunday Times, Sports Minister Sunil Kumara held a special discussion earlier this week with Wickremasinghe, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva and SLC Secretary Bandula Dissanayake. The meeting focused on Wickremasinghe’s potential reappointment and the proposed composition of the new selection panel, which will replace the committee headed by Upul Tharanga.
The report said the names of Hemantha Wickremaratne, Vinothan John, Indika de Saram and Tharanga Paranavithana were discussed as possible members of the new five-member committee. Both de Saram and Paranavithana served on the selection panel led by Tharanga, whose two-year term ended last week.
The Sports Ministry has not yet officially commented on the matter. (Newswire)