End of the road for Shammi Silva

A prominent figure in cricket's power structure, Shammi Silva enjoyed support from member clubs and stakeholders. However, dissatisfaction grew among the public in recent months. Sri Lanka's inconsistent performance on the field and rumors of interference in cricket decisions worked against him. His choice to support Pramodya Wickramasinghe as Chairman of Selectors raised concerns, and the removal of Charith Asalanka from the captaincy right before the World Cup surprised many. The situation escalated after Sri Lanka's poor performance in the 2023 World Cup. Former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe tried to remove Shammi and his committee, and Parliament supported this decision. Despite this, Shammi managed to retain his position with help from influential supporters like Sagala Ratnayaka. Given the current government's stance, Shammi decided to resign before facing further action. In his youth, Shammi was a skilled all-round athlete, representing Nalanda College in various sports and playing First Class cricket for Colombo Cricket Club, where he still holds the position of President. His seven-year leadership at SLC is comparable to the lengthy tenures of notable figures like Gamini Dissanayake and Robert Senanayake.