Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan de Silva, a veteran of nearly 25 years as an administrator, has resigned answering a public call to quit following the team’s disastrous showing at the current World Cup in India.
In a catastrophic set-up at Sri Lanka Cricket, De Silva was seen as probably the only elected official who maintained a mark of integrity amid calls for the sacking of the administration’s hierarchy over corruption, nepotism, financial misdeeds and player indiscipline.
His resignation did not come as a surprise.
In 2006 De Silva was poised to be elected Sri Lanka Cricket president but was thwarted by the then Sports Minister and film star Jeewan Kumaranatunga who cancelled the election of office bearers in favour of the ex-chairman of the State Film Corporation Jayantha Dharmadasa who was installed as head of a replacement Interim Committee to run the affairs of cricket.
After nearly 14 years Dharmadasa who found himself isolated from cricket administration due to his links with an opposition group, patched up with his opponents and sat alongside De Silva at Executive Committee meetings and media functions.
For his rapport with the Media, De Silva was viewed as the Public Relations face of Sri Lanka Cricket.
