Former sports minister who said Sri Lanka sold 2011 World Cup final to India, says it’s his suspicion

Sangakkara and Jayawardene have already rubbished the former minister's claims.

Sri Lanka lost the final by 6 wickets, their second consecutive loss in ICC event final after 2007Sri Lanka’s former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage had sent shockwaves around the cricketing world after he had accused the national team of selling the 2011 World Cup final to India. India had beaten Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.

"Today I am telling you that we sold the 2011 world cup, I said this when I was the sports minister," the minister had alleged.

Now the minister has speculated that it is just his suspicion which he wants to get investigated. The Lankan government has ordered an inquiry into the matter and a special Police investigation unit recorded Aluthgamage's statement on Wednesday.

Aravinda de Silva urges BCCI, ICC and SLC to investigate match-fixing claims in 2011 World Cup final

"I want my suspicion investigated. I gave to the Police, a copy of the complaint I lodged with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 30 October 2011 regarding the said allegation as then Sports Minister," he said.

However, Sri Lanka’s then captain Kumar Sangakkara and former captain Mahela Jayawardene have rubbished the minister’s claims. "He needs to take his 'evidence' to the ICC and the Anti-corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated thoroughly," Sangakkara had tweeted.

While Jayawardene sarcastically asked if the elections were near. "Is the elections around the corner...like the circus has started...names and evidence?" he asked in a tweet.

Aluthgamage said that in his opinion no players were involved in fixing the result, "but certain parties were." Following his allegations, Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup winner Aravinda de Silva asked the BCCI to investigate the match on its own to clear their name.

(PTI inputs)

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 25 Jun, 2020

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