SRI LANKA, Jun 5 (Agencies): — Former Sri Lanka captain Hashan Tillakaratne has accused Aravinda de Silva and Sanath Jayasuriya of being involved in Match fixing according to a report on a Sri Lankan website.
Lanka News Web is claiming that Tillakaratne named the two former captains in a meeting with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. According to the report the meeting was arranged by a popular Buddhist Mink in Sri Lanka, Ven Uduwe Dhammaloka.
De Silva has been named in match fixing reports but has always denied any illegal activity and he was even cleared by an inquiry in the past. However this is the first time Jayasuriya’s name has come up in connection with match fixing and the all rounder has denied any involvement in match fixing.
Tillakaratne was part of the team that won Sri Lanka’s only World Cup in 1996 when they beat Australia in the final at Lahore. De Silva and Jayasuriya were both part of that world cup winning squad.
Earlier in an television interview Tillakaratne revealed that matches were fixed during his career and match fixing has been a part of Sri Lankan cricket since 1992. Tillakaratne, who is now a politician for Sri Lanka’s opposition had also said that he would reveal the names of those involved in match fixing when the time is right.
In the same interview he also expressed doubts on several decisions made by the Sri Lankan team management and captain during this year’s World Cup final against India in Mumbai.
“I am not saying that this match (the World Cup final) was fixed. But anyway match-fixing is something which has been in this country over a period of time. This has spread like a cancer today,” Tillakaratne had said during the television interview.
“Why were four players changed for this match? We were playing an entirely different side. Why was Mendis removed to put another spinner, Kapugedara was never among runs but he was chosen to replace Chamara Silva. It is not fair,” he added.