The Sri Lankan Government has rejected a media report claiming that the International Cricket Council (ICC) had urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to hold immediate elections for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) or risk being blacklisted.
In a statement, the President’s Media Division (PMD) described the report, published by the Daily Mirror under the headline “Hold the SLC elections or get blacklisted, ICC informs President AKD”, as false and misleading.
The PMD said the report was entirely devoid of factual basis and had deliberately distorted the discussion held between President Dissanayake and ICC Chairman Jay Shah at the Presidential Secretariat.
According to the statement, the meeting focused on the development of cricket in Sri Lanka, including grassroots initiatives, youth programmes and expanding opportunities for young players.
The PMD noted that both President Dissanayake and Jay Shah had publicly outlined the nature of the discussions through posts on their official X accounts.
It further clarified that no ultimatum, threat of blacklisting or discussion regarding Sri Lanka Cricket elections took place during the meeting, and that no official communiqué had been issued following the talks.
The Government therefore categorically rejected the report and urged the public not to be misled by what it described as inaccurate reporting.
