Behind the scenes of this year’s lavish Cricket Awards ceremony lay a string of controversial dealings and organizational mishaps.
The event was managed by the newly appointed Cricket Transitional Committee under the leadership of Eran Wickramaratne.
Trouble began early in the planning process when the primary corporate sponsor suddenly backed out.
A well known property developer was initially slated to fund the ceremony but withdrew due to their close ties with former cricket board chief Shammi de Silva.
The committee then turned to a major Asian telecommunications provider, which eventually secured the main sponsorship rights at a heavily discounted rate.
Internal friction escalated further over the award selections and guest lists.
Former selection committee members led by Pramodya Wickramasinghe carried out the evaluations but were entirely excluded from attending the ceremony.
An award intended for former selector Vinothen John was cancelled at the last minute, while the newly appointed selection panel led by Kapila Wijegunawardena claimed full credit for the recipient list.
Legal complications also emerged following the abrupt termination of the previous selection board via phone call.
Facing potential legal action, the administration settled matters privately by paying three months of salary totaling Rs. 2.4 million to three former selectors.
Consequently, the SLC paid double salaries to both incoming and outgoing selection panels simultaneously.
Attendance at the venue was dominated by corporate guests and internal staff rather than cricket veterans.
Over half the seating capacity was reserved for executive clients of the telecom sector sponsor, while 25 passes were allocated to SLC personnel.
Several prominent former players were omitted from the guest list, leading families of current award winners to leave the premises before the proceedings ended.
Sources suggest substantial funds are being spent on media relations to manage the fallout from the event.
Observers note that the management style of the current transitional body closely mirrors that of the previous administration, with the lack of support from the International Cricket Council remaining the primary point of difference.
(SL Leader)
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