Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene took to Twitter to slam former Sri Lanka sports minister’s match-fixing claim regarding the 2011 World Cup. They in fact asked for evidence so that that ICC could do further investigation if anything such had ever happened.
The backdrop
In 2011 World Cup Kumar Sangakkara was leading the Sri Lanka cricket team in the 2011 World Cup. India went on to win the tournament and trophy after 28 years. Mahela Jayawardene’s century however troubled Indians enough but the match was saved by the heroics of Gautam Gambhir, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Yuvraj Singh. Dhoni’s sixer won the match for India by six wickets although the fielding and bowling of the Island nation was criticized thoroughly. The match was set in Mumbai and Sachin Tendulkar finally got to touch the World Cup after serving Indian cricket for decades.
The match-fixing controversy did not leave this very important match of India albeit. Arjuna Ranatunga, former Sri Lanka captain who was present in that match as commentator asked for an investigation of the fixture. He said in July 2017, “When we lost, I was distressed and I had a doubt. We must investigate what happened to Sri Lanka at the 2011 World Cup final. I cannot reveal everything now, but one day I will. There must be an inquiry.”
Revived controversy
Recently in an interaction with Sri Lanka media, Sri Lanka’s former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told, “I tell you today that we sold the 2011 World Cup finals. Even when I was a sports minister, I believed this.”
Aluthgamage was the sports minister of the island nation from 2010 to 2015 who further added, “In 2011, we were to win, but we sold the match. I feel I can talk about it now. I am not connecting players, but some sections were involved.”
The two important member of Sri Lanka’s 2011- World Cup team came forward to oppose the same. While Jayawardene hinted at the election agenda, Sangakkara asked for evidence. Jayawardene tweeted, “Is the elections around the corner 🤔Looks like the circus has started 🤡 names and evidence? #SLpolitics #ICC”. Sangakkara wrote, “He needs to take his “evidence” to the ICC and the Anti-corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated thoroughly”.
