Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has revealed a set of new guidelines for players who choose to retire from international cricket.
These guidelines include a requirement to provide SLC with three months’ notice of their intention to retire, ESPNcricinfo reported.
Another guideline includes that a six-month waiting period needs to be fulfilled in order to get the No-objection certificate (NOC) to play in overseas franchise tournaments.
Sri Lanka players now also need to play in at least 80 percent of domestic matches in a season if they want to be eligible for the Lanka Premier League.
This set of new guidelines has been revealed in the wake of Danushka Gunathilaka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s retirement. Gunathilaka announced his retirement from Test cricket while Rajapaksa announced retirement from international cricket entirely.
There have been rumours doing the rounds that several Sri Lanka players are thinking about retiring in the context of new mandatory fitness requirements.
Avishka Fernando has put out a statement on Twitter, clarifying that he is not thinking of retirement.
“Most of the member countries don’t encourage players to play in their franchise league without a NOC. We don’t accept any player to play in our leagues – especially since it’s been sanctioned by the ICC – without a NOC. They need to first get approval from their respective boards. Even if it’s a retired player. Because a retired play can get involved in [other] tournaments that are not sanctioned by the ICC. In the event that happens, member boards may [at their discretion] not allow those players to take part in their own leagues,” ESPNcricinfo quoted SLC CEO Ashley de Silva as saying.
“If we find out a player has taken part in an unsanctioned tournament, we will take disciplinary action against them. For example, we won’t let them be involved in the administration at Sri Lanka Cricket. So, before they go, they [the players] should know it’s a tournament sanctioned by the ICC and that’s why they need a NOC from the respective boards,” he added. (ANI)
