SL questions World Cup opener Tharanga in fixing probe, grills chief selector Arvinda

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga on Wednesday became the first player to be grilled by detectives in a probe investigating claims that the 2011 Cricket World Cup final was fixed.

The 35-year-old batsman and wicket-keeper was questioned for two hours by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) examining the conduct of the final, which Sri Lanka lost to India.

“They asked a few questions in connection with the ongoing investigation. I gave my statement,” Tharanga told reporters without giving further details.

Tharanga, who scored two runs off 20 deliveries in the match at Mumbai’s

Police said they will next interview Kumar Sangakkara, the captain of the losing side and the current president of the Marylebone Cricket Club in London, who was asked to report to the SIU on Thursday.

There was no immediate comment from the 42-year-old, who last month said the allegations should be referred to the International Cricket Council (ICC). The Sri Lankan probe was launched after the then-sports minister claimed that Sri Lanka threw the April 2011 match.

“I feel I can talk about it now,” Mahindananda Aluthgamage told a local TV network last month. “I am not connecting players, but some sections were involved.”

Sri Lanka bat first and scored 274-6 off 50 overs. They appeared in a commanding position when Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar was out for 18.

But India turned the game around dramatically, thanks in part to poor fielding and bowling by Sri Lanka, who were led by Kumar Sangakkara.

India won the final by six wickets. as it was done twice. Match referee Jeff Crowe apparently did not hear “heads” called by Sangakkara and asked Indian skipper MS Dhoni to toss again. Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat, a decision that was criticised in local media because the Sri Lankans were considered to be better at chasing at the time.

Sri Lankan cricket has been plagued by several corruptionscandals,includingclaimsofmatch-fixing ahead of a 2018 Test against England.

Last month the local cricket board said the ICC was investigating three unnamed ex-players over corruption claims.

Match-fixing was made a criminal offence in November. Offenders face fines of up to 100 million rupees ($555,000) and up to 10 years’ jail.

Earlier, Sri Lanka’s chief cricket selector for the 2011 cricket World Cup was grilled for six hours at the start of a criminal investigation into match fixing, a detective said Tuesday.

Former Sri Lanka skipper and the chief selector, Aravinda de Silva, was the first to be interviewed by the newly established sports-related anti-corruption unit, its Superintendent Jagath Fonseka said.

“Today we started the investigation into (2011 World Cup) match fixing allegations,” Fonseka told reporters outside his unit’s office where the chief selector was questioned.

“Based on the statement given by Aravinda today, we have decided to summon a player from the 2011 squad, Tharanga, tomorrow to record his statement.”

Fonseka said they were obtaining intelligence reports as well as inputs from unspecified international sources to continue their probe into one of cricket’s most explosive match-fixing controversies.

De Silva himself declined comment as he walked out of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) where he spent over six hours with at least three detectives investigating allegations that Sri Lanka sold the cup final to India.

The island nation’s 1996 World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga has also cast doubt on the result and previously called for an investigation.