ZCZC
BSP-23
CRICKET-SRI-ICC-LPL
ICC probes Sri Lanka T20 league over alleged match-fixing
COLOMBO, Nov 25, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – The International Cricket Council
is investigating an alleged attempt to fix Sri Lankan Premier League
matches due to start Thursday, a media report said.
The complaint alleges a former national cricketer approached a
Lanka Premier League player, and is being looked at by the ICC’s
Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), the mass-circulating Lankadeepa said.
“The former national player who allegedly made the approach is
currently overseas,” the newspaper said, adding that he had once been
accused, but later cleared, of match-fixing charges by the ICC.
The ICC said it would not discuss any ongoing investigation. The
Sri Lanka board’s anti-corruption unit too declined comment.
The Twenty20 tournament opens Thursday without spectators, but
under the close scrutiny of the ICC anti-corruption officials, the
national board and the sports ministry.
Last week, Sri Lanka’s former fast bowling coach Nuwan Zoysa said
he would appeal a decision of an ICC-appointed tribunal which found
him guilty of three offences relating to match-fixing after a two-year
investigation.
Cricket-crazy Sri Lanka introduced a law against corruption in
sport last year after then-sports minister Harin Fernando declared
that the ICC considered the Indian Ocean island the world’s most
corrupt cricket nation.
The Sri Lankan board and the ICC has conducted anti-corruption
programmes for players and officials and set up a 24-hour hotline to
report any “suspicious or corrupt activity.”
The tournament will be Sri Lanka’s first top cricket since England
abruptly pulled out of a two-match Test series in March as the
coronavirus pandemic spread.
The start was delayed three times because of coronavirus
restrictions imposed by authorities to contain the virus which has
claimed 94 lives and infected nearly 21,000 people.
BSS/AFP/MRU/1943hrs