Sangakkara grilled for 8 hours in 2011 WC final fixing probe, protest erupts

Cricket Desk: Kumar Sangakkara, the captain of the Sri Lanka team which lost in the 2011 World Cup final, was interrogated for almost eight hours on Thursday at the Police Unit of the Sports Ministry over claims that the match had been fixed. At the same time as he was being questioned, a protest against the investigation was held outside the Sports Ministry’s office.

The youth wing of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, which organized the protest, said the demonstration was held against the “continuous harassment of Kumar Sangakkara and other cricketers over unsubstantiated match-fixing allegations,” according to newswire.lk.

The party’s Prime Ministerial candidate Sajith Premadasa also tweeted against the investigation.

The Ministry of Sports launched an investigation into the 2011 World Cup final between Sri Lanka and India, following an allegation made by former Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage. On 18 June, Aluthgamage had stated that the 2011 Cricket World Cup had been fixed.

Statements have been recorded already from Aluthgamage, former Chairman of the National Selection Committee Aravinda de Silva and Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga.

On Thursday, Sangakkara, who had stepped down from captaincy soon after the 2011 World Cup, had been summoned by the Sports Ministry.