Sri Lankan television channels showed Kumar Sangakkara arriving to give his statement on Thursday morning. (Twitter/AzzamAmeen)
Kumar Sangakkara, the captain of the Sri Lanka team which lost in the 2011 World Cup final, was interrogated for more than five 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.
Members of the Samagi Tharuna Balawegaya (@youthforsjb) are currently staging a protest outside the SLC against the harassment Cricketer Kumar Sangakkara and 2011 cricket team. #SriLanka #LKA #Matchfixing #ProtestSL via @kataclysmichaos pic.twitter.com/BfOr6tcsOK
β Sri Lanka Tweet π±π° (@SriLankaTweet) July 2, 2020
The party’s Prime Ministerial candidate Sajith Premadasa also tweeted against the investigation.
Continuous harassment of @KumarSanga2 and our 2011 cricket heroes must be strongly opposed. Government behavior is deplorable.
β Sajith Premadasa (@sajithpremadasa) July 2, 2020
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.Β 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.
2011 Match Fixing Inquiry : Kumar Sangakkara still at the Sports Ministry Police Unit giving a statement for nearly 5 hours. pic.twitter.com/cNMlQ1lggA
β Azzam Ameen (@AzzamAmeen) July 2, 2020
On Thursday, Sangakkara, who had stepped down from captaincy soon after the 2011 World Cup, had been summoned by the Sports Ministry.