(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, who led Sri Lanka to their greatest cricketing triumph, the 1996 World Cup, demanded an immediate inquiry into the 2011 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup Final between Sri Lanka and India played in Mumbai, India.
Minister Ranatunga made these observations on Wednesday (13) responding to a question raised by the former Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Kumar Sangakkara who prior addressed as to whose duty the 2009 Tour of Pakistan was masterminded.
Mr. Sangakkara requested an investigation be made into for what valid reason the team was sent to Pakistan when there were no appropriate responses to security concerns.
“If Mr. Sangakkara needs an investigation into the tour of Pakistan, then they ought to have one. However, I think we ought to likewise inquire what happened to the Sri Lanka Team amid the 2011 World Cup Final. I think this is something that the Sports Minister should investigate as opposed to focusing on fitness issues,” he stated.
Minister Ranatunga emphasised that the Pakistan Cricket Team toured Sri Lanka despite security fears following the attacks of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) before 1996 World Cup. Connections between the peoples of Pakistan and Sri Lanka are rooted deep in history, the Minister said.
However, it is highly-questionable that the players of Sri Lanka Cricket Team are willing tour India for IPL matches regardless of India’s active engagement of the LTTE, Minister Ranatunga stressed.
“S. Liyanagama was the Secretary to the Sports Ministry around then and I was the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) a couple of months prior. We played the Asia Cup in Pakistan with no occurrence and the tournament was a success,” Minister Ranatunga said, adding that later so-called “Charlie Austin’s team” informed him that they need to play for the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.
“I declined to support the demand as I could not betray my country. After that, the former Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge expelled me from the Cricket Board,” the Minister added.
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