Colombo: Sri Lanka’s former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has alleged that his country “sold” the 2011 World Cup final to India, a claim ridiculed by formers captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who demanded evidence from him.
In an interview with local TV channel ‘Sirasa’, Aluthgamage said the final was fixed.
Set a target of 275, India claimed the trophy thanks to the brilliance of Gautam Gambhir (97) and then skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (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 5 August said.
“I am telling you with responsibility I felt that the match was fixed. I can debate this, I know people were concerned about this.” The captain of Sri Lanka at that time, Sangakkara, asked him to produce evidence for an anti-corruption probe.
“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. Jayawardene, also a former captain who scored a hundred 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. Aluthgamage said that in his opinion no players were involved in fixing the result, “but certain parties were.” Aluthgamage had also previously hinted that the game was fixed. Both Aluthgamage and the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa were among the invitees at the final played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Former World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga had also called for a probe on alleged match-fixing in the 2011 World Cup final.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka’s T20 captain and veteran pacer Lasith Malinga was not named in the 24-member list of players who will be part of the team’s second residential training camp starting June 22 in Kandy.
“The national men’s players will commence its second ‘Residential Training Camp’ on the 22nd of June, strictly adhering to the health regulations imposed by the government in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A total of 24 players will take part in the 10 – day training camp, which will be held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, whilst the focus this time will be on player conditioning and enhancing skills,” Sri Lanka Cricket said in a media release on Thursday.
“The arrangements for the next camp is aimed at becoming the best prepared international team post-COVID–19 and to be ready to play at any given time,” said head coach Mickey Arthur.
The coaching and support staff, who will work with the players during the upcoming training camp consists of a six-member unit, the statement further said.
The squad members will continue to follow the same health procedures, which was adhered to during the first camp conducted earlier this month.(PTI)
