Sri Lanka Cricket Suspends Alleged 'Pitch Fixers'

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), on Sunday (May 27), suspended the two individuals involved in ‘pitch fixing. The SLC decided in the aftermath of the revelations made in a sting operation by Al Jazeera.

In the investigative documentary, “Cricket’s match-fixers,” the news outlet claims the two Sri Lankan individuals are, Tharindu Mendis (former first-class player) and Tharanga Indika (Assistant manager of Galle cricket stadium).

The duo promised to prepare the pitch according to the needs of an undercover journalist posing as a businessman. Two other men, who are also identified as fixers, were also present in the room.

During the conversation, Indika also claimed to have doctored the Test pitches in the past. He claimed he had altered the surface for India and Australian Test in 2017 and 2016.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already launched its investigation, and SLC has also followed suit.

The Sri Lanka board has decided to complain with the Criminal Investigators Department (CID) to look into the case of pitch-fixing.

In addition, the SLC has also formed a three-member team. The team consists of Mr Mohan de Silva, Air Commodore Roshan Biyanwila and Mr Channa Weerakkody. The trio has been tasked with submitting a report within three days to make recommendations to prevent such occurrences in the future.

The SLC also promised to cooperate with the ICC in its investigation fully. The ICC has already started taking the required measures to get to the root of the issue. Alex Marshall, head of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit had said –

“We will take the contents of the programme and any allegations it may make very seriously.”