Lanka board summons Ranatunga, DeSilva
Two stalwarts of Sri Lankan cricket, former captain Arjuna Ranatunga and his teammate Aravinda DeSilva, have been summoned by the Sri Lankan Cricket Board after their names figured in the Central Bureau of Investigation match-fixing report.
Board officials on Wednesday said both Ranatunga, who retired
from international cricket earlier this year, and DeSilva have been asked to appear before the board for an emergency
meeting to discuss the issue.
Ranatunga, under whose leadership Sri Lankan cricket saw
a marked transformation culminating in their World Cup triumph
in 1996, declined to react, saying he will comment only after
studying the report in detail. His family sources however said
he is preparing a statement with the help of his lawyers and
friends.
DeSilva, for long the mainstay of Sri Lankan batting,
who, the CBI has alleged, had been offered 15,000 dollars for
fixing a Test match at Lucknow in 1994 in favour of India, is
also expected to come out with a statement.
The CBI in its report, submitted to Sports Minister S S
Dhindsa on Monday, named Ranatunga and DeSilva among many
other foreign players who, it said, had either accepted or
been offered money by bookies.
The news came as a shock in the island nation as the
country geared up to receive the victorious team which arrived
on Thursday morning after winning the Sharjah triangular tournament.
"It's unbelievable. We felt proud so far that none from
Sri Lanka figured in the match-fixing scandals that were
rocking many countries," a board official said.
Mail Cricket Editor
