ICC head of Anti-Corruption here to probe match fixing claims

Alex Marshall, the head of International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) will arrive in Sri Lanka today on the invitation of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to investigate allegations of match-fixing during the recent Test series against Pakistan.

Opposition MP Nalin Bandara made a sensational claim last month in Parliament that the two-match Test series played in July was fixed albeit any proof.

“In the last Pakistan series, our team scored 400-odd [Sri Lanka had set a target of 342, a ground record if achieved], and still lost in the last innings. From the person who rolls the pitch, everyone has been given money. The Board has become a gambling den,” said the MP, taking cover behind the parliamentary privilege.

SLC neither denied nor accepted the charges but extended an invitation to

CRICKET

ACU head to conduct an independent investigation.

The Board said they are mandated to uphold the integrity of the game at both the national and international level. It believes this is the correct course of action to take in light of the allegations which have caused immense reputational damage to Sri Lanka.

The two-match series against Pakistan was played in Galle during the peak of Sri Lanka's economic crisis this year. In the opening fixture, Pakistan chased down a difficult target of 342 with four wickets in hand to go 1-up in the series. Sri Lanka fought back in the second Test to defeat the visitors by 246 runs and end the series at 1-1.

Although the MP made these revelations in Parliament, he did not complain to the Special Police Investigation Unit (SIU) set up to probe sports-related corruption. In 2019, Sri Lankan Parliament passed tough laws to tackle sports corruption after several Sri Lankan stars were charged by the ICC ACU for having engaged in corrupt practices.

“We have not received any complaints regarding the alleged matchfixing charges nor have we got any instructions from the Sports Ministry to initiate an inquiry. Since the allegations were made in Parliament, we cannot initiate an investigation as it’s immune to libel and defamation suits,” said SIU Director SSP Nihal Fonseka.

Match-fixing claims are not new to the Sri Lanka cricket team. While several former stars were banned for their hand in corruption, ACU was closely watching Sri Lankan cricketers since 2017 as they considered the country as one of the most questionable nations under its purview.

Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage dropped a bombshell a few years ago when he said the 2011 World Cup between Sri Lanka and India was fixed. An investigation was held but found no evidence to support the claims.

The AFP newswire quotes a Pakistan Cricket Board official a saying he could not comment on an investigation being conducted by SLC and linked it to the host country's cricketers.

"No one — neither the ICC nor the Sri Lanka Board — approached us on the recent allegations made by one of the Opposition leaders regarding the 1-1 drawn Test series between the two countries. So unless and until we are being approached, we are not in a position to say anything," a PCB official, when contacted by the AFP, said.

"The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit always keeps a close check on all international matches. They were there in Sri Lanka during the July series, nothing happened, and no eyebrow was raised. If the Sri Lanka Board wants to investigate their players, they are free to do that. The PCB has nothing to do with it as it has something to do with SL cricketers. We will only react if the SL Board or ICC approaches us. So far there is no such thing," the official told AFP. Alex Marshall

will be in

Sri Lanka today