Sangakkara demands proof as former SL minister claims 2011 WC final was fixed

Former Sports Minister of Sri Lanka (SL) Mahindananda Aluthgamage has claimed that the senior cricket team deliberately lost the final of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup against India.

On April 2, 2011, India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets, after successfully chasing down 276 with MS Dhoni sealing the World Cup (WC) title with a six.

Aluthgamage, who was Sri Lanka’s sports minister from 2010 to 2015, and is now serving as the state minister for renewable energy and power, said he “did not want to disclose” the plot at the time.

“The 2011 Cricket World Cup final was fixed. I stand by what I say. It took place when I was the minister of sports,” Aluthgamage told newsfirst.lk.

“However, I do not wish to expose details for the sake of the country. The game against India in 2011, the game we could have won, was fixed. I say this with a responsibility and I can come forward for a debate. The people are concerned about it. I would not involve the cricketers in this.”

It was Sri Lanka’s second consecutive World Cup final loss, having gone down to Australia in the West Indies four years ago. Kumar Sangakkara, who was the captain of the side in the 2011 edition, feels it is better to get down to the bottom of the matter rather than making such allegations. Players from both units had earlier dismissed claims related to fixing.

“It’s a very serious allegation,” Sangakkara told the Associated Press. “Since he says he has evidence and proof, the prudent thing to do is to go to the Anti-Corruption Unit of the ICC and put forth his claims so they can investigate them thoroughly and come to a conclusion whether what the former minister says is true or not.”

Aluthgamage is the second person to allege that the final was fixed, after Sri Lanka’s World Cup winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga felt the same in 2017 and demanded an investigation into the match. Mahela Jayawardene had scored a brilliant century for Sri Lanka to guide them to 275, and India in reply were reduced to 3/31 before Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir got the chase back on track. Gambhir and MS Dhoni then added 109 runs for fourth wicket and powered the chase.

“I was also in India giving commentaries at the time. When we lost, I was distressed and I had a doubt,” Ranatunga had said in 2017. “We must investigate what happened to Sri Lanka at the 2011 World Cup final. I cannot reveal everything now, but one day I will. There must be an inquiry.”