Sri Lanka Cricket Board official arrested, Arjuna Ranatunga wants Indian help to tackle corruption

Agencies
October 23, 2018

New Delhi, Oct 23: Sri Lanka Cricket, which is currently fighting the menace of deep-rooted corruption, was dealt a blow after its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) was arrested for alleged financial fraud, police said on Monday.

The police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said that Piyal Nandana was arrested following a complaint lodged by the SLC to the Inspector General of Police.

Earlier on Monday, former Sri Lankan captain and country’s Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said that India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) could provide technical expertise in probing widespread allegations of corruption in cricket.

“India has specialized knowledge on the issue having taken action against many corrupt activities in match fixing. The Prime Minister (Sri Lankan) and I made a special request to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He pledged assistance,” Ranatunga told reporters.

“We don’t have the expertise or the laws to deal with this problem in a proper manner. India promised to help us in drafting legislation too,” Ranatunga said after returning from New Delhi.

Former Lanka skipper Ranatunga said that the corrupt local administration was responsible for the current lowly standing of Sri Lanka in international cricket. “It is no point blaming the players for the poor showings,” Ranatunga said.

The arrest of the Sri Lanka Cricket CFO is related to an alleged financial fraud, which was unearthed last September.

An alleged attempt to transfer to an offshore account USD 5.5 million connected to the broadcasting rights of the current England tour of Sri Lanka was reported to the police’s crime investigation department.

The SLC had cited the CFO Nandana as the prime suspect, who had claimed that his e-mail account had been hacked and sent the request to transfer the money to an off shore account. He was sent on compulsory leave.

The money was one of the three tranches coming from Sony Picture Networks for broadcast rights of the England tour. The corruption and fixing allegations have hit the country’s cricket hard after a documentary aired in May alleged massive global corruption in cricket.

After it was aired, Galle groundsman Tharanga Indika and former first-class cricketer Tharindu Mendis were found allegedly speculating about fixing the pitch to ensure a result in under four days in a Test match against England.

Both men have been suspended by Sri Lanka Cricket pending an ICC investigation. A third man, provincial coach Jeevantha Kulatunga, was also suspended. Sanath Jayasuriya, a member of the 1996 World Cup winning squad, is under investigation by the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit, along with several others. Jayasuriya has been charged for not co-operating with a match-fixing probe and concealing information.

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News Network
February 2,2020

Mount Maunganui, Feb 2: India registered a rare 5-0 whitewash against New Zealand after notching up a seven-run win in the fifth and final T20 International at Bay Oval here on Sunday.

Electing to bat, India posted 163 for three, riding on Rohit Sharma's 60 off 41 balls and a 33-ball 45 from K L Rahul.

The visitors then restricted the hosts to 156 for nine with Jasprit Bumrah claiming three wickets for 12 runs.

Chasing the target, the Black Caps were tottering at 17 for three in 3.2 overs.

Tim Seifert (50) and Ross Taylor (53) then added 99 runs for the fourth wicket as New Zealand recovered to 116.

Seifert clobbered a 30-ball 50 studded with five fours and three sixes, while Ross Taylor hit two sixes and five fours in his 47-ball 53-run innings.

However, once Seifert was dismissed in the 13th over, the hosts suffered a collapse, losing five wickets, including Taylor, for 25 runs to loss the plot in the end.

Brief Score:

India: 163 for 3 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 60; S Kuggeleijn 2/25)    

New Zealand: 156 for 9 in 20 overs (Ross Taylor 53, Tim Seifert 50; Jasprit Bumrah 3/12).

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News Network
February 29,2020

Feb 29: India were all out for 242 in their first innings following a stunning battling collapse, triggered by paceman Kyle Jamieson on the opening day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, here on Saturday.

India were steady at 194 for five at tea but lost wickets in quick succession after the play resumed. Jamieson returned figures of 14-3-45-5.

Hanuma Vihari top-scored for India with his combative 55 while Prithvi Shaw (54) and Cheteshwar Pujara (54) hit contrasting half-centuries.

Virat Kohli's (3) poor run continued while his deputy Ajikya Rahane (7) also fell cheaply.

India lost last five wickets for 48 runs, of which 26 were contributed by last-wicket pair of Mohammed Shami (16) and Jasprit Bumrah (10).

Brief Scores:

India 1st innings: 242 all out in 63 overs. (H Vihari 55, P Shaw 54, C Pujara 54 batting; Kyle Jamieson 5/45, Tim Southee 2/38, ).

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News Network
January 23,2020

Jan 23: Quinton de Kock has been named as the new captain of the South Africa One-Day International side, taking over from Faf du Plessis, who is dropped altogether from the three-match series against England next month.

Du Plessis led South Africa in their disastrous 2019 World Cup campaign and has hinted at international retirement from all formats following the Twenty20 global finals in Australia later this year.

"We all know the quality of the player that Quinton de Kock has grown to become," CSA director of cricket Graeme Smith said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Over the years we have watched him grow in confidence and become one of the top ODI wicket-keeper batsmen in the world. He has a unique outlook and manner in which he goes about his business and is tactically very street smart."

De Kock leads a 15-man squad with five uncapped players in seamers Lutho Sipamla and Sisanda Magala, left-arm orthodox spinner all-rounder Bjorn Fortuin, opening batsman Janneman Malan and wicketkeeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne.

Magala, leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, seamer Lungi Ngidi and hard-hitting opening batsman Jon Jon Smuts must pass fitness tests before they can join the squad.

Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will be rested for the series, while allrounders Chris Morris and Dwaine Pretorius have also not been able to force their way in.

"The road towards the 2023 Cricket World Cup starts now and we want players doing well in our domestic structures to see the rewards of the hard work that they have put in," CSA Independent Selector Linda Zondi added.

The first ODI will be staged in Cape Town on Feb.4th, with the second in Durban three days later and the final match of the series to be held in Johannesburg on Feb.9th.

Squad: Quinton de Kock (captain), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Jon Jon Smuts, Andile Phehlukwayo, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Beuran Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Kyle Verreynne.

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