Former Sri Lankan sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamag has accused the national side of ‘selling’ the 2011 World Cup Final to India, reviving one of cricket’s most explosive match-fixing claims.
Aluthgamage was the island’s sports minister at the time and is the second senior figure to allege the final was fixed after former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning skipper.
“I tell you today that we sold the 2011 World Cup finals. Even when I was sports minister I believed this,” Aluthgamage, who was Sri Lanka’s sports minister between 2010 and 2015, told Sirasa TV.
Aluthgamage said that he “did not want to disclose” the plot at the time.
“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.
The high-profile final was played in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium that India won by six wickets. The Indian win on this day was architected by splendid batting from the then skipper MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir.
Ranatunga, who was at the stadium as a commentator, has previously called for an investigation into the defeat.
“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,” Ranatunga had said in 2017.
After the World Cup, even former skipper Hashan Tillakaratne claimed that match-fixing was common in Sri Lanka since 1992. He had also expressed doubts over the selection policies.
Sri Lanka had reached 274 for six thanks to an alluring century from Mahela Jayawardene. India lost Virender Sehwag in the first over, and Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for 18. The game dramatically turned thereon as Virat Kohli and Gambhir brought up a cautious partnership before Dhoni came in and walked away with the match. The Kumar Sangakkara-led Sri Lankan outfit were criticised for poor fielding and bowling.
Sri Lanka hasn’t been alien to controversies. Claims of match-fixing had surfaced ahead of a 2018 Test against England. Earlier this month, Sri Lankan Cricket Board (SLC) had reported ICC that it was investigating three unnamed former players over allegations of corruption.
Not too long back, Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya was found guilty of failing to cooperate with a match-fixing probe and was handed a two-year ban.
2011 World Cup Final Highlights: