COLOMBO, Feb 7: Legendary Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga on Saturday ruled out a repeat of their World Cup win if “unprofessional” officials continued to run the game in the South Asian country.

“People who run cricket here don’t know anything about cricket. Do you think they love the game? No,” said Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to their only World Cup triumph in 1996.

“I think we will never be able to win the World Cup if things do not change. Winning it will remain a dream. I don’t know who runs cricket today. We should not panic, but have to act swiftly.”

Ranatunga, 45, was sacked in December as chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC)’s interim committee after 11 months in the office, with sports minister Gamini Lokuge saying a change was necessary.

Ranatunga’s ouster from his government-appointed post came soon after he had dismissed 16 SLC employees.

The former captain also blamed administrators for the country’s one-day loss to India in the ongoing five-match series, saying the pitches were not prepared to suit the home spinners.

“We have two very good spinners (Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis), but the wickets suited the opposition more. Unfortunately, there were no turning tracks,” he said.

“We are one of the most talented cricketing nations in the world. I blame some of those unprofessional people who have been running the game.”

Ranatunga denied he opposed the Sri Lankan cricketers joining the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament, but said the players should know their priority.

“I had no problem with the IPL. Nor had I any problems with the Indian cricket board,” he said.

“We want players to earn more money, but they should know how to make money. Players should realise what their priority is. I always said ‘Country before yourself. Country before money’.”Ranatunga sparked a controversy with his decision last year to agree to send the team on the England tour in April-May 2009, which clashed with the second IPL tournament.

The tour was eventually cancelled after the sports minister intervened at the request of the IPL-contracted players.

When asked whether some of the Sri Lankan cricketers were not happy with him during his tenure, Ranatunga said: “I don’t know cricketers were not happy with me. No one has told me that.

“My aim was to protect Sri Lankan cricket and put it on the right track.

Yes, I am not a great believer of Twenty20 game. I am a traditional guy and prefer Test and one-dayers.”

The next World Cup will be held in the sub-continent in 2011.—AFP