Match-fixing has been one of the most controversial topics in cricket. Reviving the same, the former sports minister of Sri Lanka has claimed that the 2011 World Cup was fixed. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, the sports minister of Sri Lanka in 2011 has recently spoken about this.
The Match Fixing controversy
Previously, 1996 World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga has made such claim. He was heard saying, “I tell you today that we sold the 2011 World Cup finals,” Aluthgamage told Sirasa TV. “Even when I was sports minister I believed this.”
Aluthgamage was the sports minister of Sri Lanka from the year 2010 to 2015 and is currently the state minster of renewable energy and power. He says that he knew the fact from before but did not want to expose the plot.
“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,” he said.
In 2011 World Cup Finals, India defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets at the Wankhade Stadium. The Indian players have strongly condemned the allegations and denied the act.
Ranatunga was a commentator at the match and called for an investigation after the defeat. “When we lost, I was distressed and I had a doubt,” he said in July 2017. “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,” added Ranatunga, who said players could not hide the “dirt”.
In the 2011 World Cup Finale, Sri Lanka batted first and scored 274 runs for 6 wickets. The game was on their side when Sachin Tendulkar was out at 18.
But, with a dramatic twist, India won the match due to the poor fielding as well as bowling by the Kumar Sangakara led team.
Sri Lanka’s Allegations
Previously, Sri Lanka had been part of numerous match-fixing as well as foul-play controversies. Earlier this month, the cricket board of Sri Lanka said that ICC was investigating three unnamed players due to corruption. In the 2018 Test against England, Sri Lanka faced allegations of match-fixing.
Harin Fernando, another sports minister of Sri Lanka has said that the country’s cricket was riddled with graft ‘from top to bottom’ and was considered to be one of the most corrupted nations by ICC. And now, the minister is claiming that the World Cup 2011 was fixed, which has stirred up some controversies.
It is yet to see whether Indian cricketers open up to these allegations and raise their voices against these controversies.
