Sri Lanka's cricket selection panel resigns amid humiliating defeats to Team India

Colombo: Sri Lanka's national cricket selection committee has resigned amid heavy public criticism of the team's performance after a series of defeats in the current matches against India.

The committee headed by former captain Sanath Jayasuriya and former players Romesh Kaluwitharana, Ranjith Madurasinghe and Eric Upashantha said Wednesday that it would step down effective from the end of the India series.

There are two more one-day international matches and a Twenty20 match to be played. Sri Lanka has lost all three test matches by big margins and has already lost the five-match one-day international series 3-0.

The committee, in a statement issued through Sri Lanka Cricket, said that it is resigning "in the best interest of the game, which is being damaged and hindered by undue criticism and false allegations instigated by interested parties with malicious intent."

"This instigation has led to a public outcry, which in both the short and long term is damaging the present and the future of the game by demoralizing the players and creating an unfair, untrue and hurtful image of the team, the coaching staff, the selectors, and the administration," the statement said.

Sri Lankan selectors and administrators have been criticized by media, social media users and past cricketers such as former captain Arjuna Ranatunga for inconsistent selection and for a drop in the quality of domestic first-class cricket.

Sri Lanka's cricket has been in turmoil this year, including the team's first test defeat to Bangladesh, and a one-day series defeat to Zimbabwe at home. After the losses, coach Graham Ford resigned midway through his contract.

Angry fans threw objects into the field as India was closing in on victory in the third one-day international on Sunday at Pallekele. The match was completed after some of the fans were evicted from the ground.