(Photo: Getty Images)

By Adam Ellis

Sri Lanka Cricket have restored player salaries having cut them by 30 per cent in 2017, owing to poor financial performance.

In announcing a pay rise of 34 per cent, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have been able to offer contract to 33 players to play across all three formats in internationals.

This comes as a result of the governing body recording a profit of £10.1million for the last financial year.

“Since SLC has made good financial gains during the concluded financial year, we thought it is appropriate to give a pay raise for the players, as they are making a major contribution towards the growth of Sri Lanka cricket,” board president Thilanga Sumathipala said.

With the salaries of all 33 players divided across five categories; A, B, C, D and Premier, Test captain Dinesh Chandimal, ODI captain Angelo Mathews, and seniors Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal and Dimuth Karunaratne are all in the A grade.

The Premier category features 16 years considered by SLC to be on the cusp of breaking into the national side across Tests, ODIs or T20.