Aravinda de Silva to step down from Sri Lanka role

Former Sri Lanka cricket vice-captain and national cricket team selection committee chairman Aravinda de Silva speaks during a news conference in Colombo June 10, 2010. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte/File Photo

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Former batsman Aravinda de Silva will withdraw from his role as chairman of the cricket committee at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) at the end of next month due to personal reasons.

The 51-year-old will step down from the cricket committee, which was formed in March last year, due to commitments that could make it difficult for him to spend the required amount of time for the committee, SLC said in a statement.

"For someone like Aravinda cricket is a full-time occupation," board president Thilanga Sumathipala said.

"It's understandable that he needs to prioritise his personal commitments -- he has supported the strategic vision of this administration and been vastly instrumental in many of the developments we have made.

"We intend to continue to engage Aravinda's expertise in our key cricketing activities on a consultancy basis."

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; Editing by John O'Brien)