Upul Tharanga who scored just two runs off 20 balls in the 2011 World Cup final at Wankhede Stadium was called in for investigation after investigators questioned Chief Selector of Sri Lankan team Aravinda De Silva for nearly six hours on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka opener batsman Upul Tharanga on Wednesday became the first player to be questioned by the police in a probe investigating the claims that the 2011 Cricket World Cup final was fixed. The 35-year-old cricketer was questioned for approximately two hours by the SIU who is examining the conduct of the finals which Sri Lanka lost to India.
“They asked a few questions in connection with the ongoing investigation. I gave my statement,” Tharanga told reporters without giving further details. Tharanga who scored two runs off 20 deliveries in the 2011 World Cup Finals at Mumbai Wankhede’s Stadium was called in for investigation after the cops questioned the Chief selector Aravinda De Silva for nearly six hours on Tuesday.
The investigation was started after government minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who was sports minister at that time, alleged that Sri Lanka threw the match in April 2011. “I feel I can talk about it now,” Aluthgamage told a local TV network last month. “I am not connecting players, but some sections were involved.”
Sri Lanka batted first & scored 274 runs for 6 wickets in just 50 overs. They appeared to be the winner when the Indian Superstar Sachin Tendulkar was out for 18 runs. But India quickly turned the Finals in its favor due to poor fielding & bowling by the Sri Lankan team who were headed by Kumar Sangakkara. India won the finals by six wickets.
SIU Chief Jagath Fonseka said that the officers would further decide who else will be interviewed after analyzing Tharanga’s testimony. Fonseka said that they were obtaining intelligence reports as well as the input from unspecified international sources to continue their probe. De Silva further declined to comment about his questioning of the selections he made for the 2011 World Cup Finals.
Last month the Sri Lankan Cricket board said that the International Cricket Council was investigating the unnamed three ex-players over corruption claims.
