Sri Lankan cricketers to receive unpaid fees

Sri Lankan players have not been paid since the end of the World Cup in April [AFP]

Sri Lanka’s contracted cricketers will receive 65 percent of their unpaid fees within the next three days when their ruling body receives $2 million from the International Cricket Council for hosting the 2011 World Cup, the country’s sports minister said on Tuesday.

“We will be able to complete the full payment by January,” Mahindanda Altuthgamage told Indian ocean island nations parliament.

Sri Lanka’s players have not been paid their salaries since the World Cup ended in April.

Sri Lanka Cricket has run into debt of $32.5 million since financing the building of three international cricket stadiums in Hambantota, Pallakele and Colombo to host 12 World Cup matches.

The ruling body has been unable to pay its cricketers or two hundred other employees their salaries.

The sports minister submitted a cabinet paper requesting $8.8 million to bail out Sri Lanka Cricket but the treasury said it could not release that amount of money.

The government has called for elections on January 3. Sri Lanka Cricket has for the past seven years been administered by government appointed interim committees.

The Sri Lanka cricket team have lost their three Test series since the World Cup by 1-0 margins, to England, Australia and Pakistan.

The team left for South Africa on Monday for a three-Test series and five one-day internationals.