Sri Lanka Cricket offers monetary remuneration to stripped groundsmen

Sri Lanka Cricket was forced to issue an apology to stripped groundsmen after the conclusion of their home series against Zimbabwe at Hambantota. Soon after, on Wednesday, the board has offered cash and new clothes to temporary groundsmen. The workers had complained of being ordered to give up their uniforms before they would be paid.

Social media reports of the shameful incident surfaced on Tuesday, and a flustered Sri Lanka Cricket immediately apologised and ensured to take stringent measures. The ground staff were forced to return their uniforms and some workers had to even leave the ground in their underwears. This incident was reported in the wake of Sri Lanka’s embarrassing defeat to Zimbabwe at home.

Groundsmen humiliated and asked to return uniforms

It was a shameful day for the Sri Lankan authorities, as the temporary ground staff was told that they would not be paid until they returned the uniforms provided by the board. Most of them were clothed in the uniforms that they were asked to return. “The way they were treated is unacceptable and I have ordered that they be given a new set of clothes plus an extra day’s wages. It is inhuman and slavery,” said board chief, Thilanga Sumathipala. He further stated that an investigation was under way and those responsible would be dealt with.

Sri Lanka’s shocking defeat to Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka had to endure an embarrassing defeat to Zimbabwe at home. Zimbabweans won the one-day international (ODI) series by a 3-2 margin, laying bare the dilapidated condition of the current Lankan team that is in dire need of reforms and motivation. Skipper Angelo Matthews also admitted finding the series defeat a “hard one to swallow” and subsequently stepped down as the captain of all three formats of the game. Dinesh Chandimal has been named the test captain Sri Lanka, while Upul Tharanga will lead the side in the shorter formats.