ICC probes 3 former SL cricketers over corruption

COLOMBO: Cricket’s world body (ICC) is investigating three former Sri Lankan players over alleged corruption, officials said Wednesday, in the latest scandal to hit the sport in the country.

Sri Lanka Cricket did not name the targets of the probe by the International Cricket Council Anti-Corruption Unit, but insisted no current national players were involved. The board was responding to media reports on comments made by Sports Minister Dullas Alahapperuma on Tuesday. The reports said Alahapperuma had hinted current players were being investigated by the ICC for match-fixing. "What the honorable minister actually mentioned was about an investigation launched by the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit against three former Sri Lanka players and not the current national players," the board said in a statement. The ICC said it would not comment on any active investigation. Sri Lanka introduced tough penalties for match-fixing and tightened sports betting restrictions in November in a bid to stamp out graft that has tainted the country’s cricket team.

Allegations of corruption included claims of match-fixing ahead of a 2018 Test against England. Betting on sports events in Sri Lanka was already illegal, but the new rules ban Sri Lankans from gambling on overseas contests.