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After 2011 World Cup final fixing allegation, Sri Lankan government launches probe

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Jun 19, 2020, 05:59 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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Former Sri Lankan sports minister Mahindanda Aluthgamage created a huge controversy as he claimed that the ICC World Cup 2011 final was “fixed”. Reacting to the allegation, Sri Lanka’s sports ministry has ordered an investigation and asked for a progress report every two weeks.

Former Sri Lankan sports minister Mahindanda Aluthgamage created a huge controversy as he claimed that the ICC World Cup 2011 final was “fixed”. Aluthgamage was Sri Lanka’s sports minister back then and alleged that the national team’s defeat to India in the final of 2011 World Cup was fixed by “certain parties”. Reacting to the allegation, Sri Lanka’s sports ministry has ordered an investigation and asked for a progress report every two weeks.

Sports Minister of Sri Lanka, Dullas Alahapperuma has order investigation and sports secretary, KADS Ruwanchandra, on Alahapperuma’s directive, has complained to the ministry’s investigation unit.

Aluthgamage has alleged that Sri Lanka “sold” the game to India, however, the claim has been ridiculed by former Sri Lankan captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, both part of the match, as the duo demanded evidence from him.

In an interview with local TV channel ‘Sirasa’, Aluthgamage alleged that the 2011 World Cup final was “fixed”. India were handed 275 runs to win and claimed the coveted trophy courtest Gautam Gambhir’s 97 and skipper MS Dhoni’s unbeaten 91.

"Today I am telling you that we sold the 2011 world cup, I said this when I was the sports minister," Aluthgamage, who was the sports minister at the time, said.

"As a country I do not want to announce this. I can't exactly remember if it was 2011 or 2012. But we were to win that game," added the politician, who was the state minister of power in the current caretaker government which is in-charge until the election to be held on August 5.

"He needs to take his 'evidence' to the ICC and the Anti corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated thoroughly," he tweeted.

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Jayawardene, who scored a century in that game, ridiculed the charge.

"Is the elections around the corner...like the circus has started...names and evidence?" he asked in a tweet.

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Aluthgamage said that he wouldn’t bring players into the debate while adding "certain parties were."

Both Aluthgamage and the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa were in the guest list at the final played in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Earlier, former World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga had also called for a probe on the alleged match-fixing in the 2011 World Cup final.