Sri Lankan players will be playing the ODI tri-series in Australia, the Commonwealth Bank Series, because of their love for cricket, despite not getting their payments on time.
The tri-series in Australia is also being played against the backdrop of a worrying pay dispute for Lankan players who are owed as much as $5 million due to a cash crisis within the country's cricket governing body.
The Federation of International Cricketers Association fears the parlous state of Sri Lanka Cricket's finances leaves them at risk of becoming insolvent without a cash bailout from the country's government, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
The International Cricket Council intervened in December when it bypassed the board and facilitated a direct $2 million-payout to Sri Lanka's players.
The general secretary of the Sri Lanka Cricketers Association, Ken De Alwis, said the players earned $5000 in match fees for ODIs, which meant the board faced payments of at least $480,000 plus awards and prize money from the current tour of Australia.
"The newly elected committee is trying to sort things out. Financially it is a burden for some of the guys, so we need to make sure they've got that security, knowing that they will get paid, so we can keep their focus on their game," said skipper Jayawardene.