Sri Lanka Cricket sets new record on legal fees
Sri Lanka’s Cricket’s (SLC) former administration spent millions of rupees intended for the game’s development on legal fees and related disbursements, amounting to more than Rs. 681mn in just three years, official documents show.
Fees of Rs. 681,171,261.89 were disbursed between 2023 and 2025, payment vouchers seen by The Sunday Times reveal. The seven-year Shammi Silva administration was forced out by the current political leadership following a string of poor on-field performances and allegations of financial mismanagement. Disregarding mounting public censure, the committee had spent millions on legal representation in an apparent effort to defend its increasingly embattled position and deteriorating public image.
The numbers show a cricket regime locked in confrontation on multiple fronts—with the Ministry of Sports, media institutions and journalists, rival factions and commercial contracts.
It was during this period that SLC engaged in a legal battle with the then Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, incurring a massive bill. Inclusive of writ applications, High Court proceedings and defamation actions, the Board’s legal expenditure on matters connected to Ranasinghe reached roughly Rs. 220mn. Highly critical of the Silva’s SLC administration, Ranasinghe went so far as to sack the committee, leading to a legal battle in 2023.
The Appeal Court case between Silva and Ranasinghe (CA Writ 685/2023) involved some of Sri Lanka’s most senior counsel and SLC incurred over Rs. 47mn in fees. Separately, the writ application filed by Raveen Wickremaratne, a former SLC Vice President, against Minister Ranasinghe (CA Writ 717/2023) cost the Board Rs. 18.1mn.
Two long-running administrative challenges—CA Writ 521/2023 and CA Writ 571/2023 (SLC vs. Minister of Sports)—cost a combined total of approximately Rs. 30.4mn in professional fees and appearance charges during the three years.
A new challenge cropped up in 2025 via Supreme Court case SC/FR/103/2025—K. Mathivanan vs SLC. This became the year’s highest legal expense. Ironically, legal spending that year (at around Rs. 166mn) was lower than the two preceding years. The Mathivanan case produced a legal bill of Rs. 31.9mn.
On a single reporting date in October 2025, SLC cleared more than Rs. 25mn in fees connected to this single fundamental rights case, for a roster of senior lawyers. Top-tier fees included Rs. 5mn on one senior counsel; and Rs. 3mn each for four others. Two other counsel were paid Rs. 2.4mn and Rs. 1.5mn, respectively. The Supreme Court threw out the case.
SLC’s legal bill shows a staggering Rs. 264.6mn in 2023, followed by Rs. 250.5mn in 2024, while it has seen a reduction in 2025, spending Rs.166mn. The documents show SLC has spent Rs. 81.89mn on defamation cases against media institutions and journalists. The current SLC administration, headed by Eran Wickremaratne, has however withdrawn these cases.
A significant share of SLC’s legal spending went towards commercial tenders and international tax matters. Cross-border tax issues added another layer. The Indian tax dispute connected to the Nidahas Trophy required numerous outside counsel. Accordingly, a legal firm was paid over Rs. 6.17mn in May 2024 while one legal advisor received Rs. 2.35mn earlier that year to help SLC navigate Indian tax law.
