Kusal Mendis named inaugural president of Sri Lanka players' association

The newly formed Sri Lankan Professional Cricketers’ Association (SLPCA) was officially launched on Saturday, with men’s white-ball captain Kusal Mendis appointed as its inaugural president. Backed heavily by prominent stars like women’s captain Chamari Athapaththu and allrounder Wanindu Hasaranga, the association has been established to serve as an independent and collective voice for professional cricketers in Sri Lanka.

“The formation of the SLPCA comes at a landmark time for Sri Lankan cricket, following a sustained period of positive progress and reform across the sport in the country, including the work of the game’s transformation committee to strengthen governance and modernise the domestic structure,” a media release said.

The launch comes amid a major phase of administrative upheaval, with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in the middle of a heavy reform process under a temporary, government-appointed cricket Transformation Committee. The creation of a players association is the latest move towards modernising the game in the country, with a new constitution in the pipeline as well.

“Alongside the governance reforms and transformation work already underway, having a genuine, organised player voice is another important step toward a modern, collaborative game that is aligned with international best practice,” the release added.

The SLPCA is directly affiliated with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA), the global federation for professional cricket players. Historically, Sri Lankan players have lacked structured access to the WCA’s international programs, welfare safety nets, and global player-advocacy networks.

The alignment is already visible at the top tier of global cricket governance, with Athapaththu appointed to the WCA Player Advisory Board earlier this year.

Prior to this, Sri Lanka was one of the few prominent cricket boards alongside India (BCCI) and Pakistan (PCB) that did not formally recognise or affiliate with the WCA. By launching the SLPCA, Sri Lanka will now mirror highly successful player associations like the Australian Cricketers’ Association, England’s Professional Cricketers’ Association, and the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association.

With tensions over the years having repeatedly flared between SLC and the players, such as earlier this year with regard to no-objection certificates and mandatory physical fitness testing requirements to play in commercial leagues like the IPL, the SLPCA now offers a centralised body to negotiate these scheduling and career-flexibility conflicts.

While a past union, the Sri Lanka Cricketers’ Association, existed on and off since 2001, it was historically dominated by retired players, and critics argued it suffered from board-driven pressure. The SLPCA marks a permanent shift because it is led directly by active, current captains and marquee players from both the men and women’s national teams. Moreover, for the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, women’s cricket sits on completely equal footing in a player union’s blueprint.

“We’re proud to have established SPCA to represent Sri Lanka’s players at this important time, and we look forward to working constructively and collaboratively with Sri Lanka Cricket, the Transformation Committee, and other stakeholders as cricket continues to grow,” Kusal, as SPCA president, said.

Athapaththu said: “Through the work of the Transformation Committee, we have already seen great progress in Sri Lankan cricket. The setting up of the Players’ Association is another important step forward and sees Sri Lankan cricketers join many of our international colleagues in cricket and other sports who already benefit from effective player representation.”

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