ICC initiates probe into corruption in Sri Lanka Cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed it has initiated investigations in Sri Lanka and its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) officers recently visited the country.

ICC's General Manager - ACU, Alex Marshall, said, "The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit works to uphold integrity in cricket and this includes conducting investigations where there are reasonable grounds to do so. There is currently an ICC (ACU) investigation underway in Sri Lanka. Naturally as part of this we are talking to a number of people.

"We will not comment any further on an ongoing investigation. If anyone has information that would assist the ACU in its enquiries (contactacu@icc-cricket.com), we would urge them to get in touch," he added.

Earlier, 40 Sri Lankan cricketers had called for an immediate inquiry in to certain 'shocking' allegations made by former Sri Lanka cricketer and selector, Pramodya Wickremasinghe against the current national team.

"The cricketers, in a petition signed by all including both captains Dinesh Chandimal and Upul Tharanga to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), have drawn attention in to what they say was shockingly disparaging and hurtful statements by Wickremasinghe to a private television station that tend to give the general public a suspicious impression about them," said an SLC press release.

"The players have drawn exception to Wickremasinghe's 'serious' allegations highlighting nine issues that unnatural and mysterious match patterns take place. They have refuted the allegations as totally baseless and stressed that they perform under the national flag for their motherland sacrificing even their time with their families with a 200 per cent commitment with nothing short of achieving the ultimate goal of victory," the release added.

The players have further challenged Wickremasinghe to prove his allegations.