On Saturday, Sri Lanka sports ministry decided to launch an investigation into former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s allegation that the national cricket team’s loss to India in the 2011 World Cup final was fixed by “certain parties”. The sports minister Dullas Alahapperuma has given go-ahead to the investigation and asked for a report on its progress every two weeks, the ministry said in a statement.

The sports secretary, KADS Ruwanchandra, on Alahapperuma’s directive, had complained to the ministry’s investigation unit on Saturday. Aluthgamage has accused that the match was “sold” to India, a claim that was ridiculed by former captains Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who demanded evidence from him.

In an interview with the local TV channel ‘Sirasa’, Aluthgamage said the match was fixed. Set a target of 275, India lifted the trophy thanks to the brilliance of Gautam Gambhir (97) and then skipper MS Dhoni (91). 

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Aluthgamage had said, “Today I am telling you that we sold the 2011 world cup, I said this when I was the sports minister. As a country, I do not want to announce this. I can’t exactly remember if it was 2011 or 2012. But we were to win that game. I am telling you with the responsibility I felt that the match was fixed. I can debate this, I know people were concerned about this.” 

The captain of Sri Lanka at that time, Sangakkara, asked him to produce evidence for an anti-corruption probe. 

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Sangakkara had tweeted: “He needs to take his ‘evidence’ to the ICC and the Anti-corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated thoroughly”.

He needs to take his “evidence” to the ICC and the Anti corruption and Security Unit so the claims can be investigated throughly https://t.co/51w2J5Jtpc

— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) June 18, 2020

Jayawardene, also a former captain who scored a hundred in that game, ridiculed the charge. Ridiculing the claim, Jayawardene tweeted: “Is the elections around the corner…like the circus has started…names and evidence?” 

Is the elections around the corner 🤔Looks like the circus has started 🤡 names and evidence? #SLpolitics #ICC https://t.co/bA4FxdqXhu

— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay) June 18, 2020

Aluthgamage said that in his opinion players didn’t participate in fixing the result, “but certain parties were.” He had also previously hinted that the game was fixed. Both Aluthgamage and the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa were among the invitees at the final played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Both Aluthgamage and the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa were among the invitees at the final played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Former World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga had also called for a probe on alleged match-fixing in the 2011 World Cup final.