The national cricket squad was allegedly involved in a drinking party at their team hotel in New York prior to a pivotal T20 World Cup match, a claim that Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has categorically denied.

At the just-finished 2024 T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka had a dismal tournament, finishing with just one win in four group-stage matches. Just hours before the crucial World Cup match against South Africa in New York, a media report suggesting that some Sri Lankan players were spotted having a late-night drink inside their hotel sparked a scandal.

According to the media report, the night before the match, at least five of the team's best players—three of the top-order batsmen, an experienced fast bowler, and a legendary all-round player—participated in a late-night drinking party in one of the hotel rooms.

"SLC categorically and strongly refutes the contents of the article and confirms that no such incidents, as described, have occurred. Therefore, SLC states unequivocally that the news report is entirely false, fabricated, and baseless," SLC said in a statement.

"We vehemently believe that such false reporting unfairly damages the reputation of Sri Lanka Cricket, its officials, and the players. In light of the said false allegations, Sri Lanka Cricket has requested that the respective newspaper publish a ‘Right of Reply’ to address and rectify the damage caused to Sri Lanka Cricket," SLC further said.

The aforementioned report also noted the attendance of a player-manager and an assistant coach, but it denounced the latter's presence. It even went so far as to label the manager in question's role in Sri Lankan cricket as a threat and something that has recently hurt the team's results.