Indian Cricket Board puts Sri Lanka tours on hold

The Indian cricket board has decided to put on hold all forthcoming tours involving Sri Lanka after Sri Lanka Cricket officials made “hostile” statements against the Indian Premier League and the national cricket board, a news report said Sunday.

The board has also decided to withdraw a $40 million (euro31.76 million) aid package to the neighboring cricket board, the Press Trust of India reported.

The controversy comes as Sri Lanka is unable to send a full-strength side to tour England next year because many of its leading players are contracted to play Twenty 20 in the Indian Premier League, which clashes with a proposed two-test tour of England at the start of May.

The report mentioned angry comments from SLC Chairman Arjuna Ranatunga that the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) was trying to buy Sri Lanka Cricket by offering them an aid package.

The PTI report, citing BCCI documents, said that Indian board officials were “very puzzled and shocked at the attitude of Sri Lankan cricket towards the BCCI and had serious concerns with regards to some of the press statements which had been released by some SLC officials.”

“Further they were very curious to find out the hostile manner in which the SLC mentioned BCCI and IPL.”

NEW DELHI AP