Sri Lankan media slammed sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage for taking a U-turn on his earlier decision of calling Lankan cricketers back from the Indian Premier League.
Earlier, Aluthgamage ordered Lankan players to return home by May 5, 2011 in order to participate in the preparatory camp ahead of their crucial England tour. However, in a complete change of stance, the minister allowed the players to stay in India until May 18 and reach England directly.
The media has been demanding Aluthgamage’s resignation for changing his stance that the Lankan players must put country before the cash rich Twenty20 league.
“Now that the minister has not been able to deliver what he promised why doesn`t he seriously consider resignation,” a leading Lankan newspaper The Island wrote.
The paper further described that minister has blamed the Sri Lanka Cricket for issuing No Objection Certificates to players without setting any timeframe for their return.
“We feel the sports minister has completely lost the point here,” the newspaper added.
Under immense pressure from the Board of Control for Cricket in India to extend the earlier deadline, the Sri Lanka Cricket relented after meeting Aluthgamage and permitted its players to stay in the tournament for 13 more days.
The sports minister has been heavily criticised for changing his decision after possible backdoor negotiations with the BCCI.
The former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara is leading Deccan Chargers whereas Mahela Jayawardene is doing the same job for Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
Along with Sangakkara and Jayawardene, the key Sri Lankan IPL participants include Suraj Randiv (Chennai Super Kings), Nuwan Kulasekara (Chennai Super Kings), Dilhara Fernando (Mumbai Indians), Lasith Malinga (Mumbai Indians), Angelo Mathews (Pune Warriors) and Thisara Perera (Kochi Tuskers).
The Twenty20 League will continue until May 28, 2011 but the SLC has now allowed its players to leave the IPL by May 18.
Sri Lanka will start their tour of England officially with a warm-up game against Middlesex on May 14, 2011 followed by another one on May 19 against the England Lions.
The first Test of three match series is scheduled to begin from May 26, 2011 which means that the Sri Lankan players, who will reach England from the IPL, would have just a week to prepare themselves for the contest.
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