• Stresses media will be apprised in due course

Newly-appointed cricket selection committee chair ex-Sri Lanka medium-pacer Kapila Wijegunawardene, says that his panel has had no input into the selection of the national white and red-ball squads due to take off for a series in the West Indies, shortly.

“The Men’s squads for the tour of the Caribbean had been picked by the previous committee,’’ Wijegunawardene, 61, told The Daily Morning Sports, when inquired whether his panel had selected the respective squads.

“As such the Men’s squads chosen by the panel which functioned before us, will tour the West Indies. At least that much I can confirm to you.”

The former pacer from S. Thomas’ College who also played first-class cricket for CCC, was named to head a new five-member panel by the Sports Minister last Thursday (21).

It replaced the Pramodya Wickramasinghe-led committee that was formed in December last year and which also included Indika de Saram, Tharanga Paranavithana, Vinothen John and Rasanjali de Alwis.

Wijegunawardene, who preferred to not delve at length into his latest posting by the Sports Minister, stated that his panel had begun their work with effect from 22 May.

The ex-quick who won two Test caps and 26 ODI caps for his country, in a career lasting from 1988 to 1992, noted that he intends to keep the media apprised of their selections with the concurrence of the Transformation Committee.

“Hopefully with the concurrence of the Transformation Committee, we will keep the press informed as we go along, but for the time being I do not intend to say much. Hope you will understand.”

Controversy continues to swirl around the setting up of the latest selection panel, as critics question whether the Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage had overlooked the regulations set forth by him on 21 May 2025 and governing the formation of such committees.

The Sports Ministry to date has not revealed whether the accepted procedure had been adhered to before the new panel was created, such as calling for nominations and giving prior notice of removal to the previous committee and for how long the new panel will be in office. 

However, SLC in a media release on Saturday (23) announced that the appointments for the new were made pursuant to nominations submitted by the Transformation Committee headed by former investment banker turned politician Eran Wickramaratne.

In the meantime, former selection panel head Wickramasinghe has reportedly written to the Sports Minister seeking clarification over his removal, claiming he has not received any written intimation regarding his panel’s termination of the two-year contract.  

The new selection committee also consists of former wicket-keeper opening batters Amal Silva, Brendon Kuruppu, ex- first-class left-handed middle-order batter Varuna Waragoda and former Women’s cricketer turned ICC match referee Vanessa de Silva.

The new chair, Silva and Kuruppu had served in past selection panels as well, while Waragoda has also had a previous stint as a women’s selector, but critics question the neutrality of Vanessa de Silva with her operating as a ICC match referee at the same time.