Sri Lankan test cricket is in the spotlight amid an alleged attempt to fix a test against the West Indies.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) handed Anusha Samaranayake a two-month ban on Monday over his relationship with net bowler Gayan Vishwajith, who allegedly approached national team players to underperform during a Test match against West Indies in October.
Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera said that Vishwajith had a link to a bookmaker and offered the players 10 million Sri Lanka rupees ($108,000) to lose the match.
The players rejected the offer and Sri Lanka won by an innings and six runs after veteran left-arm spinner Herath took 10 wickets.
Vishwajith has been given a lifetime ban from any cricketing premises and events in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and team manager Jeryl Woutersz appeared at the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on Tuesday to give a statement.
“We all want this game to be clean and whoever has done something wrong, we want them to bring before the courts and take certain decisions,” Mathews said after spending five hours at the FCID. “As captain of the team I have to mention that the cricketers felt really uncomfortable the last few days because they are the ones who came forward and reported this to ICC [International Cricket Council] and SLC.”
Perera, who alerted the officials about the approach, is facing a four-year ban after the International Cricket Council (ICC) provisionally suspended him for failing an out-of-competition anti-doping test in October.
Indian off-spinner banned for life over match fixing
In India, off-spinner Ajit Chandila received a lifetime ban from cricket on Monday for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal while playing for the Rajasthan Royals franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2013.
According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Chandila was punished for violating codes pertaining to accepting bribes, fixing, underperforming, trying to induce a fellow player and betting.
“Ajit Chandila is banned for life from playing or representing cricket in any form or to be associated in any way with the activities of the Board or its Affiliates,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said in a statement.
Batsman Hiken Shah was also suspended for five years over corruption for approaching another player about fixing ahead of the 2015 IPL.
