Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) CEO Ashley de Silva said that the new men’s selection committee would pick the red ball and white balls sides to the West Indies on 5 February.

“The previous selection committee had selected 35 players and they have started training from 1 February (today), the white ball players have been any way training at SSC for some time. The new selection committee will have to pick the teams for the three formats. 

“They will obtain a report on the injured players from the physio’s department before they sit down for selections. Some of the players are not 100% fit, and we are waiting for the physio’s report to get them into training,” said de Silva.

de Silva further stated that SLC had obtained the consent of five individuals to serve in the men’s selection committee and submitted the names to the National Sports Council (NSC).

“The NSC will have to nominate three people who would serve in the committee from those names, including the chairman. Only Ashantha de Mel resigned as chairman from the previous selection committee. The others that are the junior selectors and women selectors will remain in the seven-member committee. It is the three members in the men’s committee who will be replaced,” said de Silva.

Explaining further why the national selection committee has been expanded to seven members, de Silva stated: “According to the Sports Law, you can have only one national selection committee for a sports body. Basically what they have advised us to do is have one committee and to assign certain areas. Three persons will overlook the men’s national selection, two will overlook the junior selection, and two others will overlook the women’s cricket. We have appointed provincial co-ordinators for all three sections. They will co-ordinate with the national selection panel and advise them.” (ST)

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