Sri Lanka President intervenes in Chandana retirement
Sunday, 9 September 2007
COLOMBO, Sept 8 (AFP): Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse has asked the country's sports minister to investigate all-rounder Upul Chandana's hasty retirement.
"The president asked me to go into the reasons which led Chandana to announce his retirement," Gamini Lokuge told AFP today.
Lokuge said he would invite Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials and the national selection panel to discuss the matter.
"Chandana had told the press that he was treated unfairly. So we have a duty to look into his grievances. If corrective action is needed, we will take them," Lokuge said.
He said it was most likely the president himself would take part in the meeting which is expected before Monday.
Chandana, 35, on Wednesday said he was quitting international cricket in disgust and accused national selectors of treating him shabbily.
The leg-spinner said his omission from the World Cup and the World Twenty-20 Championships had forced him to take the decision.
Rajapakse had previously intervened when veteran Sanath Jayasuriya announced his retirement in 2005.
Chandana scored 1,627 runs and took 151 wickets in 147 one day internationals between 1994 and 2007.
His name, along with that of Jayasuriya, Russel Arnold and former captain Marvan Atapattu, has been linked with the rebel Indian Cricket League.
The Indian league, bankrolled by media baron Subhash Chandra, involves Twenty20 cricket featuring foreign and domestic players.
With Sri Lanka warning it will ban any player joining the rebels, no cricketer from the island nation has officially signed up so far.
"The president asked me to go into the reasons which led Chandana to announce his retirement," Gamini Lokuge told AFP today.
Lokuge said he would invite Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials and the national selection panel to discuss the matter.
"Chandana had told the press that he was treated unfairly. So we have a duty to look into his grievances. If corrective action is needed, we will take them," Lokuge said.
He said it was most likely the president himself would take part in the meeting which is expected before Monday.
Chandana, 35, on Wednesday said he was quitting international cricket in disgust and accused national selectors of treating him shabbily.
The leg-spinner said his omission from the World Cup and the World Twenty-20 Championships had forced him to take the decision.
Rajapakse had previously intervened when veteran Sanath Jayasuriya announced his retirement in 2005.
Chandana scored 1,627 runs and took 151 wickets in 147 one day internationals between 1994 and 2007.
His name, along with that of Jayasuriya, Russel Arnold and former captain Marvan Atapattu, has been linked with the rebel Indian Cricket League.
The Indian league, bankrolled by media baron Subhash Chandra, involves Twenty20 cricket featuring foreign and domestic players.
With Sri Lanka warning it will ban any player joining the rebels, no cricketer from the island nation has officially signed up so far.