Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath says discussions have been held with New Zealand Cricket Deputy Chair Kevin Malloy on strengthening cricketing ties between the two countries.

In a statement, Minister Herath said he met Malloy during a luncheon meeting on Friday, where both sides held fruitful discussions on marking the upcoming 100th anniversary of cricket relations between Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

The discussions also focused on enhancing cooperation in cricket development, including training opportunities for players, capacity building programmes for officials, and the potential establishment of a cricket academy in Sri Lanka.

Minister Herath described the meeting as productive and said the talks reflected the strong sporting relationship between Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

The meeting comes as both countries prepare to commemorate a century of cricketing ties, while exploring new avenues for collaboration in the development of the sport.