Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan on Friday completely denied allegations of fixing the 2011 World Cup final against India that made by former captain Arjuna Ranatunga. Muttiah also said that Aruna's claim was pointless, rather the fact is that Team India was at their best in the Final, and that was the only reason they lost the World Cup, not any match-fixing.

Speaking to Santosh Menon on the chat show called Chat-athon, Muralitharan said, "India's was the best team and ours was the second best team in the tournament."

Muralitharan added that they had a great opportunity to claim the crown, but injuries sustained by both himself and all-rounder Angelo Mathews were the main reason behind their defeat at the hands of India in the final at the Wankhede Stadium, in Mumbai.

He further added, "We had a good opportunity to win in the final, but two things happened. I had a groin injury in the semi final and Angelo Mathews, who was among runs was completely out (final) because he was injured. The batsmen were scoring runs but the middle order batsmen didn't click in few matches and the selectors made 3-4 changes and it was far than a regular team."

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Murali also reveals that the senior players and selectors were scared of chasing the target. He further stated, "(On winning the toss) the senior players and the selectors were scared of chasing the target and thought of batting first. But in my mind was to bat second because I thought India could chase any target and this was intimated to the team-management."

He concluded, "This I had told to them with my previous tour experience of dew factor. But Sanga said he has been promised by the match referee that they would spray the chemicals and no dew threat to the final. Within 15 overs dew came and they could do nothing. There was no match-fixing but Mathews' injury, miscalculation (on dew factor) cost us the World Cup final. But we can't take away credit from India."