Sangakkara Grilled For 10 Hours On 2011 WC Loss To India; Jayawardene Also Summoned; Protests Erupt In Sri Lanka

Protests were held against the "continuous harassment of Kumar Sangakkara and other cricketers over unsubstantiated match-fixing allegations" on the day the skipper was interrogated for more than 10 hours

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene

New Delhi: Kumar Sangakkara, who was the skipper of the 2011 World Cup team was questioned for 10 hours and recorded his statement to a Special Investigation Unit probing allegations by the country's former sports minister that the team's 2011 World Cup final against India was fixed by "certain parties". Mahela Jayawardene, who scored an unbeaten century in 2011 World Cup final has also been today questioned on the investigation that is probing that the final was fixed.

Sangakkara, along with Mahela Jayawardene was initially lined up to be questioned next week but the former himself offered for an early visit.

Sri Lankan police have reopened a criminal investigation on the final loss at the Wankhede after 9 years at the behest of former sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage who alleged that that the team's 2011 World Cup final against India was fixed by "certain parties".

Protests in Sri Lanka for grilling Sangakara for 10 hrs

Even as the legendary cricketer was being quizzed for 10 hrs, protests erupted outside the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) office with members of a youth outfit Samagi Tharuna Balawegaya carrying posters alleging that Sangakkara is being harassed by the authorities.

Pity this man. Former caption @KumarSanga2 leaves after eight hours of questioning by Police following allegations that 2011 World Cup final was fixed. The govt. needs to offer a public apology for the ordeal former players have been made to go through. pic.twitter.com/zeQMPWQHQZ

— Rex Clementine (@RexClementine) July 2, 2020

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".

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

— Sri Lanka Tweet ???????? (@SriLankaTweet) July 2, 2020

Earlier, another Sri Lanka legend and former chairman of selection committee Aravinda de Silva and, opening batsman Upul Tharanga also appeared before the police and recorded their statements. Aluthgamage’s stunning claims last month were rejected by Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who scored a century in that final played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has also never stated the final was under suspicion. Aluthgamage's allegations come at the back of the four changes that Sri Lanka made to their playing XI for the World Cup final against India at the Wankhede. However, Sangakkara (Sri Lanka skipper at that time), Jayawardene (then vice-captain), and de Silva (who was chief selector) have repeatedly defended their position, stating that those changes were due to the injuries to two players - Angelo Mathews and Muttiah Muralitharan. India ended a 28-year old long wait as it defeated Sri Lanka in the finals of the 2011 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium to win their second World Cup title.