COLOMBO, March 30: The interim committee running the affairs of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) has decided to resign.

Vijaya Malalsekara, the chairman of the interim committee, announced the decision at a BCCSL management meeting and also briefed the Sri Lankan team.

The interim committee will offer a formal letter of resignation to the Minister of Sports, Johnston Fernando, shortly, which will take effect from April 1.

According to BCCSL sources, the reason for the committee’s resignation was a prior verbal agreement between Malasekara and the government that the interim committee stands down after a year in office.

Fernando will now be required to decide to call fresh BCCSL elections or appoint a fresh interim committee.

The government’s fear of factionalism in the Sri Lanka’s highest profile sports body, in a year that will see the country host the ICC Champions Trophy, suggests that elections will be avoided for the time being.

Malalsekera has indicated a desire to return to focus on his own business interests and Hemaka Amarasuriya, the chairman of Singer, is tipped to take charge of a new committee.—PPI