Nishantha Ranatunga, Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket, has created a fresh controversy by asking star cricketer Mahela Jayawardena in a humiliating manner as to how his farewell should be organized.

Jayawardena, in response, has said he does not need anything from the country’s cricket administration. In an e-mail to Ranatunga, the cricketer has added that his total focus was on the second Test match against Pakistan and his sole intention was to finish his Test career with a success.

Jayawardena, in the same e-mail said he would be thankful if he could be provided with 60 tickets for the test match to be distributed among his close friends.

Organization of the farewell match is handled by the Sri Lanka Cricket and the obnoxious behavior shown by the SLC Secretary has shocked the members of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Team members are of the view that Ranatunga’s question to Mahela Hayawardena was aimed at humiliating the outgoing Sri Lankan cricket, who is one of the most accomplished cricketers produced by Sri Lanka.

Mahela Jayawardena, addressing a press conference soon after winning T20 World Cup, openly criticized Nishantha Ranatunga and the CEO of SLC mishandled the announcement of their retirement and created unwanted pressure on the minds of senior players prior to the T20 World Cup. Kumar Sangakkara, who was sitting alongside him at the press conference, also endorsed Jayawardena's statement about the matter.

It was a known fact that there was a cold war between senior players of the national cricket team and SLC Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga.