The nail biting final encounter of the 2011 World Cup saw some real action on the field with Captain Cool MS Dhoni exhuding class on field. While India won the clash of titans then, a former Sri Lanka sports minister has claimed that Sri Lanka deliberately lost the 2011 Cricket World Cup final to India for money.
The Sports Minister then Mahindananda Aluthgamage during the 2011 World Cup which was played in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, spilling the beans while speaking to Sirasa TV said that Sri Lanka “sold” the final played in Mumbai, India. This even though there has been no proof offered about the claim yet.
He was quoted saying that “I don’t want to divulge too much for the sake of the country … I say the match against India, the one we could have won, we betrayed.” India that year won the match by six wickets with 10 balls to spare.
The encounter saw the Sri Lankan team led by Mahela Jayawardene’s unbeaten 103, scoring 274-6 in 50 overs. Seen as the underdogs in the title clash, they lost their grip on the game as Gautam Gambir and Mahendra Singh Dhoni batted on.
In an interesting development then taking full responsibility Sri Lankan fans and the media criticised the players, and Sangakkara resigned as captain.
The allegations by Aluthgamage come at a time when similar pointing of fingers was done by Arjuna Ranatunga, the 1996 World Cup-winning skippercalling for a thorough investigation.
Jayawardene notably publicly responded to Aluthgamage’s claims, tweeting: “Is the elections around the corner (sic) Looks like the circus has started (sic) names and evidence? #SLpolitics #ICC”.
Not just 2011, Sri Lanka has been mired in scandals given that allegations of corruption have plagued Sri Lankan cricket, including claims of match-fixing ahead of a 2018 Test against England.
Aluthgamagehas vociferously said he “did not want to disclose” the plot at the time.
The Sri Lankan cricket scene has been a regular offender when it comes to corruption controversies. The Sri Lankan cricket board reportedly has admitted that the International Cricket Council is investigating three unnamed former players over alleged corruption.
Former Sri Lankan fast bowler Dilhara Lokuhettige has been shown the door in 2018 for corruption relating to a limited-overs league, following former captain and ex-chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya, and former paceman Nuwan Zoysa.
Sri Lanka tightening the noose has introduced tough penalties for match-fixing and tightened sports betting restrictions in November to stamp out graft.
In reports coming in it is learnt that Sri Lanka has been roiled by corruption scandals over the past two years.
The Parliament has passed all three readings of The Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Bill that entails a prison term of up to 10 years for corruption in sports, as well as hefty fines up to 100 million Sri Lankan rupees.
Not so long back Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor introduced a Private Member’s Bill to regulate sports betting and penalise match-fixing.
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