11 August,2017 10:46 AM IST | Colombo | Jasvinder Sidhu
Sri Lanka Cricket president Sumathipala says former skipper's claims that ICC 2011 WC was fixed, has no substance and was said to gain publicity
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni celebrates the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan during the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 2. Pic/Getty Images
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president Thilanga Sumathipala launched a scathing attack against his country's former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, who alleged the ICC World Cup final between the Islanders and India was fixed. Ranatunga also had held the SLC chief responsible for the recent defeats and demanded an investigation by the ICC.
"In Sri Lanka Cricket, nobody takes notice of Ranatunga's allegations. We have no plans to investigate because we have got no time for him," Sumathipala told mid-day yesterday.
Also Read: Ranatunga's U-turn on World Cup final fixing: Wasn't comfortable with Sri Lanka's approach
Arjuna Ranatunga
"There is no substance in his allegations. We can't take away India's victory in the 2011 World Cup because India had a good game and won handsomely. How you can you say that the 2011 World Cup final was fixed?" questioned Sumathipala.
A controversial political figure himself, Sumithipala explained that Ranatunga made such allegations just to gain publicity.
Thilanga Sumathipala
"Ranatunga always tries to create such doubts about Kumar Sangakkara (Ranatunga had alleged that Sangakkara held on to his batting positions in the side to prevent youngsters from occupying the most critical batting positions) and other people just to gain publicity. He has been in the lime light at the cost of others. When you have nothing to offer, you go after someone," Sumithipala said.
"Ranatunga is a man who has been rejected by three former presidents. He was asking for a job in the sports ministry, but didn't get it. SLC president Mahinda Rajapaksa also sacked him from heading the interim committee. So from 1994 till today all three presidents did not trust him and he too was of no help to the game," he added further.
