Sri Lanka’s former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage has made serious allegations against his national team, accusing them of selling the 2011 ICC World Cup final to India
India, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, had defeated Sri Lanka by six wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 2, 2011, to win their second ICC World Cup title, 28 years after the Kapil Dev’s XI had shocked the West Indies at the Lord’s on June 25, 1983.
Aluthgamage, now the State Minister for Renewable Energy and Power, is not the only one to level such allegations. Earlier, Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup champion captain and also a former sports minister Arjuna Ranatunga had made similar claims.
“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 Sri Lankan sports minister from 2010 to 2015, further added 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 alleged.
Former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage says 2011 Cricket World Cup Final between India and Sri Lanka was fixed and it was led by Captain Kumar Sangakkara. @ICC @cricketworldcup @KumarSanga2 @sp_Indiacricket @mahindananda pic.twitter.com/VALkC2Fdm9
— World Broadcasting (@WorldBroadcast3) June 18, 2020
Meanwhile, former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene has laughed off Aluthgamage’s comments. . The legendary batsman, who had scored a stunning century in the final, mocked the former Minister for his claims and also asked for evidence.
“Is the elections around the corner Looks like the circus has started Clown face names and evidence? #SLpolitics #ICC,” Mahela Jayawardene wrote on Twitter.
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
Responding to Sri Lanka’s 274 for six, India had romped home in 48 overs and two deliveries despite having lost openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar for 31 runs in 6.1 overs.