The two latest retirement decisions taken by Danushka Gunathilaka and Bhanuka Rajapaksa seemed to have unsettled the national cricket board. In a latest move that is seen to be reorganising the national cricket structure and stopping cricketers from retiring from international cricket in an untimely manner, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has issued an official statement.
Notice period mandatory
The statement makes it mandatory for the cricketers who are planning to retire from the game to provide a three months’ notice period. The players will moreover, have to wait for six months after their retirement in order to receive NOC which will be required to get the permission to take part in franchise-based T20 events across the globe.
"National players who intend to retire from national cricket should provide three months' notice to Sri Lanka cricket of their intention to retire," the Sri Lanka Cricket said in an official statement on January (8) Saturday.
"Retired national players who wish to obtain 'No Objection Certificates' (NOCs) to play in overseas franchise leagues will only be issued to such players who have completed six months of their effective date of retirement,” the official statement went on to further add.
Not all players can take part in T20 leagues
Also it is important to note that all the retired national players will not be eligible to take part in the glitzy T20 tournaments. The new rule suggests that only the players who have played 80 per cent of matches in the domestic cricket events organised in the season prior to the conducting of the league, will only get a chance to sign for a franchise- based team and can eventually play in any of the T20 leagues worldwide.
"Retired national players will be considered eligible for local leagues such as the LPL, only if they have played 80% of matches in the domestic cricket competitions conducted in the season prior to the conducting of the league," the official statement further added while talking about the eligibility criteria.
It is believed that these steps taken by the Sri Lank Cricket will help to stop players from retiring in an untimely fashion. But in reality whether a move like this would actually pay off or not only time will tell.
