Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), under the guidance of Minister of Sports Faiszer Musthapha, has decided to felicitate 49 past cricketers, who represented Sri Lanka prior to obtaining full-membership of the International Cricket Council. This is as a move to honour those cricketers for the services rendered to Sri Lanka cricket. Accordingly, SLC will offer ex-gratia payments for 12 cricketers, who are above 65 years of age and currently living in Sri Lanka, said an SLC media communique issued on Monday, 3 September 2018. The said media communique further stated: Each of the selected past cricketers will be given an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 25,000 per month, running up to one year and renewed thereafter at the discretion of the SLC Management. In addition, they will receive Rs. 150,000 per year for hospitalisation, subject to original bills being submitted for reimbursement. Past cricketers residing overseas will not be entitled to the above payment and also this payment will not be made posthumously. In the meantime, a memento to the value of Rs. 25,000 will be made to 49 past cricketers, who played for Sri Lanka during the pre-Test era. If an appeal is made for assistance by any other past cricketer strictly falling within the specified criteria, who has not been nominated in the said list, this appeal will be considered, whilst any past cricketer who has been made a payment from the benevolent fund will not be entitled to this scheme. SLC will be handing over these payments to the selected cricketers starting this week. The selection of these cricketers was done by a three-member committee appointed by the SLC, under the guidance of the Minister of Sports. * The above picture shows the All Ceylon cricket squad that beat India in Ahmadabad in 1965