"Lanka Premier League Must Be Audited Immediately": Arjuna Says Interim Committee The Only Solution To Resolve Cricket Crisis

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Arjuna Ranatunga said the accounts of the Lanka Premier League cricket tournament should be edited without delay.

"There are so many issues concerning the local cricket tournament. Before we proceed to do anything, it must be audited," Ranatunga said while speaking on a TV show last night.

"I asked Sanath Jayasuriya as to why he did not play for LPL. Players like Munaf Patel, who has not played international cricket for nearly a decade, were allowed to play in this tournament. How did this happen?" Ranatunga asked.

"Immediately after the LPL, we had to play in South Africa. Those who know cricket know that South Africa is a tough place for cricket. So, our players needed good preparation. But our Head Coach Mickey Arthur was functioning as a commentator in LPL. No one had the courage to ask him to stick to the job that he was hired for," the world cup winning captain said. He also added that the tournament director of the tournament faced match fixing allegations on a previous occassion. "Didn't the Sports Minister have a responsibility to find out as to how this person was functioning as the tournament director?" he asked.

"To resolved deep-rooted issues in the cricket administration," Ranatunga said, "we must have an interim committee. It is a myth to say that the ICC will not allow the appointment of an interim committee. The ICC is well aware of the issues in our cricket administration. I state with responsibility that the ICC will support the formation of an interim committee for a specific period of time."

The former captain said he was ready to head an interim comittee on the condition that he is given a free hand to pick his own team.