Chaminda Vaas & Sri Lanka Cricket board in bitter war of words as legend resigns over pay

In a dramatic turn of events, former Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas on Monday resigned as the national team's fast bowling coach due to a pay dispute with his board, barely three days after being appointed to the post. Vaas resigned just before the team's departure for a tour of the West Indies.

It was only last week that Vaas was appointed to replace Australian David Sakar following the team's poor show against South Africa and England in recent times. Vaas incidentally was to leave for the West Indies with the team on Monday night to play three matches each of the two shorter formats and two Tests.

"It is particularly disheartening to note that in an economic climate such as the one facing the entire globe right now, Mr Vaas has made this sudden and irresponsible move on the eve of the team’s departure, based on personal monetary gain," a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket said.

Vaas 'holding the game to ransom': SLC

"In such circumstances, it is extremely disheartening that a legend such as Chaminda Vaas has resorted to holding the administration, the cricketers, and indeed the game at ransom, by handing in his resignation at the eleventh hour, citing the administration’s refusal to accede to an unjustifiable demand for an increased USD remuneration, in spite of being a contracted employee of Sri Lanka Cricket, already receiving remuneration that is in keeping with his experience, qualifications, and expertise, in addition to which he would have been entitled to the usual USD per diems offered to all members of a travelling squad," the statement added.

"We could not agree to his terms so he resigned," news agency PTI quoted a senior Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official as saying. One of the country's finest pacers, Vaas has also resigned from his position as the SLC Academy coach, a board official added.

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'Justice will prevail!'

Vaas, with 355 Test wickets and 400 ODI wickets is Sri Lanka's most successful pace bowlers and his sudden resignation ahead of a tour has not gone down well with the cricket board. Vaas wrote on Twitter: "I made a humble request to SLC and they turned it down. That’s all I can say at the moment. Justice will prevail."

Sri Lanka is scheduled to play three Twenty20s, three one-day internationals and two test matches against the West Indies, starting with the first T20 on March 4. Meanwhile, fast bowler Suranga Lakmal was picked in the 20-man limited-overs squad as a replacement for Lahiru Kumara, who tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of departure.

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(With agency inputs)