COLOMBO, March 23: Sri Lankan cricket authorities came under fire Friday for fielding a delegation of officials that is set to outnumber the national team at the sport's World Cup showcase in the Caribbean. The state-run Daily News said Sri Lanka Cricket was forking out Rs23 million (US$212,000) on a 20-member official delegation that will fly out shortly.

The group includes family members of VIPs, the paper said.

“As far as Sri Lanka Cricket is concerned, the official team is limited to only 15,” a top official of the local governing body said, referring to the players, coach and physio already out there.

He declined to give details of who would be in the delegation nominated by the sports ministry.

“The tragedy here is that the ministry expects Sri Lanka Cricket to pay for the travel of politicians,” said the official, who asked not to be named.

Sri Lanka Cricket sources said that more people were now clamouring to be included in the official entourage following Sri Lanka's win Tuesday against Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka, one of the pre-tournament favourites, are virtually assured of their place in the next round.—AFP