Former Sri Lankan cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga has criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC), describing it as a monopolistic organization dominated by the so-called "Big Three" nations—India, England, and Australia. Speaking recently, Ranatunga alleged that this powerful group systematically limits Sri Lanka’s access to significant resources and meaningful governance reforms, impeding the country’s ability to advance in international cricket.
Drawing on his three decades of experience in the sport, Ranatunga contended that Sri Lanka has historically been sidelined in the ICC’s decision-making processes. He argued that the council operates through a network of connections, including within Sri Lanka itself, that perpetuate structural biases against smaller cricketing nations. “Look at what is happening in Australia,” he said, noting recent test matches held in Colombo but emphasizing deeper issues related to discriminatory governance practices maintained by the Big Three.
Ranatunga also contrasted the situation in cricket with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which he described as fair and impartial. He claimed that cricket governance, by contrast, appears orchestrated to benefit established powers while marginalizing teams such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka. “Today, Cricket & Pakistan is being pushed out,” he stated, highlighting what he calls an entrenched establishment and oligarchy that have influenced the sport’s global framework for the past two decades.
According to Ranatunga, the ICC’s influence extends through a group of senior officials and players who effectively control cricket boards and decision-making processes, hampering the competitive prospects of emerging teams. He pointed to the complicity of key individuals who have remained silent on these governance issues, despite growing discontent within the cricket community.
He also noted that legal actions have already been initiated by parties raising these concerns, signaling increasing frustration with the current status quo. Ranatunga urged the Sri Lankan cricket fraternity to unite in seeking reforms that would address what he described as inequities imposed by the ICC leadership.
His remarks underscore calls for greater transparency and fairness in international cricket governance, with a particular focus on ensuring that countries like Sri Lanka are given equitable opportunities to compete and develop in the sport’s global arenas.