ACU grills Tharanga about the 2011 World Cup final fixing probe
Collected
|| Desk Report ||
Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga was the first cricketer to be grilled by the newly-established Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) investigating claims that the 2011 World Cup Final was fixed.
The left-hander batsman has been questioned for two hours by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) about the final match where Sri Lanka lost to India in a tense World Cup final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, 2011.
“They asked a few questions in connection with the ongoing investigation. I gave my statement,” Tharanga told reporters without giving further details.
Tharanga was called up who scored two off 20 deliveries in that match for further investigation. Before him, former Lankan skipper and chief selector Aravinda de Silva was questioned for nearly six hours.
“Today we started the investigation into (2011 World Cup) match-fixing allegations. Based on the statement given by Aravinda de Silva today, we’ve decided to summon a player from the 2011 squad, Upul Tharanga, tomorrow to record his statement,” Fonseka was quoted as saying to the reporters outside his unit’s office where the chief selector was questioned.
The investigation was brought into light after a deliberate allegation made by the former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.
“I feel I can talk about it now,” Mahindananda Aluthgamage said.
“I’m not connecting players, but some sections were involved,” Aluthgamage told a local TV network last month.
The then skipper Kumar Sangakkara asked Aluthgamage to take the evidence to the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the allegation. The only centurion for the Islanders in that final Mahela Jayawardena shared his opinions.
But later, the former minister said that it was only his suspicion. The Lankans were beaten by India by six wickets after defending their 274 runs.
