Sri Lanka Skipper Kumar Sangakkara has denied media reports of Tillakaratne Dilshan meeting bookies at a nightclub in England during the Twenty20 World Cup.
SLC said it was pacer Dilhara Fernado, who was approached by a bookie, and that the incident was reported to the ICC.
Media reports claimed that the Sri Lankan team manager had reported Dilshan to the ICC Anti Corruption Unit after Sangakkara passed on suspicions among team-mates that Dilshan had been seen with the bookie during the World Twenty20 tournament in England in June 2009.
The Sri Lankans followed the ICC's protocol, reporting the alleged incident as soon as it was made known to the team management, reports further added.
But Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara defended Dilshan and said that 'neither I nor the Sri Lankan cricket board ever reported anything specific against any team mate'.
Sangakkara had also said Dilhara Fernando 'should be applauded for following the rules' when a bookie approached him and alerting the Sri Lanka authorities, who, in turn, shared the information with the ICC.
'We have no reasons to suspect any of our team members being involved in any such thing like fixing. We encourage players to report any suspicious behaviour they observe. Players should not be afraid of reporting this,' Sangakkara was quoted as saying by TV channels.
Sri Lankan board's chief executive Ajith Jayasekara had also denied that Dilshan was
'We dont go by speculation or what any newspaper wants to say. We don't want to go by such reports. The Anti corruption Unit of the ICC has not reported any such involvement of any player. We cant go by speculation. This has not been brought to our notice by the anti-corruption unit of the ICC. There is no evidence against any Sri Lankan player,' Jayasekara said.
Speaking to Televiosn channel CNN-IBN, Sangakkara said: "We have no reasons to suspect any of our team members being involved in any such thing like fixing.
"We encourage players to report any suspicious behaviour they observe. Players should not be afraid of reporting this," he added.
Sangakkara said he he trained with Tilakaratne this morning but had not had a word with him after the Daily Mail claimed that Dilshan was the player names in a Sri Lanka Board report to the ICC'S ACSU last year.
The Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman, who plays for Kings XI Punjab, also denied having seen any suspicious activity during the IPL.
"I have not seen anything of this sort during the IPL," he said, adding that it was time to restore public confidence in cricket.
"We need to give good game to the sports. I am sure people will embrace the game," he said.
Following is CNN_IBN's full interview with Sangakkara:
CNN-IBN: What was your first reaction to Tillakratne Dilshan being under the ICC scanner for his alleged involvement with bookmakers?
Sanga: I can only give one comment on that. At no time have I or my teammates ever reported anything suspicious about each other either to the ICC or to Sri Lankan cricket.
CNN-IBN: What did the management report?
Sanga: If anything had to be reported it would be done with the cricket board. The players are always told to report anything suspicious.
CNN-IBN: Do you plan to take action against the newspaper considering that both you and Dilshan were named in their report?
Sanga: No drastic action necessary on my part, but if the cricket board and Dilshan feel it necessary, they will do the needful.
CNN-IBN: Why have these reports appeared?
Sanga: I don't know, I have had no reason to suspect anything. The ICC has always encouraged players to report any suspicious behaviour. Whether it is a direct approach, off hand conversation or a photo with someone. The ICC should continue to encourage players. Media backlash or any other backlash should not given much importance.
CNN-IBN: Has Dilshan been questioned by the country's police?
Sanga: I have no knowledge on that. We are told to play the game well, bring success to our country. Anything other than that are to be dealt with by the concerned authorities.
CNN-IBN: Your views on the Australian newspapers reporting suspicious activities during the IPL?
Sanga: I have never noticed anything during my involvement with the IPL. I have enjoyed it. It is a high profile tournament.
It is transparent since it works with the anti-corruption body of the ICC. The players should have no fear in playing the IPL.
CNN-IBN: How will Dilshan respond to all this?
Sanga: Dilshan is a wonderful player. He has won countless matches for the team. He has performed well on the field, with the bat and ball. He will do what he has always done, go out there and perform.
CNN-IBN: How damaging have the last two weeks been with the match fixing allegations that have been floating around?
Sanga: The public's confidence must be restored. We have to continue to play the sport as well as we can so that the spectators does not doubt the player's integrity. All games go through these phases, but the the game will always be bigger than the individual. Cricket is a wonderful sport. It will take the knocks and come back even stronger. The public will embrace the sport and its players as long as we keep doing what is right.
CNN-IBN: Have you had a chance to speak to Dilshan?
Sanga: We have not spoken as yet. I trained with him in the morning. We are preparing for the Australian tour. We all have our minds on a successful Australian tour.
Source: Dailymirror
SLC said it was pacer Dilhara Fernado, who was approached by a bookie, and that the incident was reported to the ICC.
Media reports claimed that the Sri Lankan team manager had reported Dilshan to the ICC Anti Corruption Unit after Sangakkara passed on suspicions among team-mates that Dilshan had been seen with the bookie during the World Twenty20 tournament in England in June 2009.
The Sri Lankans followed the ICC's protocol, reporting the alleged incident as soon as it was made known to the team management, reports further added.
But Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara defended Dilshan and said that 'neither I nor the Sri Lankan cricket board ever reported anything specific against any team mate'.
Sangakkara had also said Dilhara Fernando 'should be applauded for following the rules' when a bookie approached him and alerting the Sri Lanka authorities, who, in turn, shared the information with the ICC.
'We have no reasons to suspect any of our team members being involved in any such thing like fixing. We encourage players to report any suspicious behaviour they observe. Players should not be afraid of reporting this,' Sangakkara was quoted as saying by TV channels.
Sri Lankan board's chief executive Ajith Jayasekara had also denied that Dilshan was
'We dont go by speculation or what any newspaper wants to say. We don't want to go by such reports. The Anti corruption Unit of the ICC has not reported any such involvement of any player. We cant go by speculation. This has not been brought to our notice by the anti-corruption unit of the ICC. There is no evidence against any Sri Lankan player,' Jayasekara said.
Speaking to Televiosn channel CNN-IBN, Sangakkara said: "We have no reasons to suspect any of our team members being involved in any such thing like fixing.
"We encourage players to report any suspicious behaviour they observe. Players should not be afraid of reporting this," he added.
Sangakkara said he he trained with Tilakaratne this morning but had not had a word with him after the Daily Mail claimed that Dilshan was the player names in a Sri Lanka Board report to the ICC'S ACSU last year.
The Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman, who plays for Kings XI Punjab, also denied having seen any suspicious activity during the IPL.
"I have not seen anything of this sort during the IPL," he said, adding that it was time to restore public confidence in cricket.
"We need to give good game to the sports. I am sure people will embrace the game," he said.
Following is CNN_IBN's full interview with Sangakkara:
CNN-IBN: What was your first reaction to Tillakratne Dilshan being under the ICC scanner for his alleged involvement with bookmakers?
Sanga: I can only give one comment on that. At no time have I or my teammates ever reported anything suspicious about each other either to the ICC or to Sri Lankan cricket.
CNN-IBN: What did the management report?
Sanga: If anything had to be reported it would be done with the cricket board. The players are always told to report anything suspicious.
CNN-IBN: Do you plan to take action against the newspaper considering that both you and Dilshan were named in their report?
Sanga: No drastic action necessary on my part, but if the cricket board and Dilshan feel it necessary, they will do the needful.
CNN-IBN: Why have these reports appeared?
Sanga: I don't know, I have had no reason to suspect anything. The ICC has always encouraged players to report any suspicious behaviour. Whether it is a direct approach, off hand conversation or a photo with someone. The ICC should continue to encourage players. Media backlash or any other backlash should not given much importance.
CNN-IBN: Has Dilshan been questioned by the country's police?
Sanga: I have no knowledge on that. We are told to play the game well, bring success to our country. Anything other than that are to be dealt with by the concerned authorities.
CNN-IBN: Your views on the Australian newspapers reporting suspicious activities during the IPL?
Sanga: I have never noticed anything during my involvement with the IPL. I have enjoyed it. It is a high profile tournament.
It is transparent since it works with the anti-corruption body of the ICC. The players should have no fear in playing the IPL.
CNN-IBN: How will Dilshan respond to all this?
Sanga: Dilshan is a wonderful player. He has won countless matches for the team. He has performed well on the field, with the bat and ball. He will do what he has always done, go out there and perform.
CNN-IBN: How damaging have the last two weeks been with the match fixing allegations that have been floating around?
Sanga: The public's confidence must be restored. We have to continue to play the sport as well as we can so that the spectators does not doubt the player's integrity. All games go through these phases, but the the game will always be bigger than the individual. Cricket is a wonderful sport. It will take the knocks and come back even stronger. The public will embrace the sport and its players as long as we keep doing what is right.
CNN-IBN: Have you had a chance to speak to Dilshan?
Sanga: We have not spoken as yet. I trained with him in the morning. We are preparing for the Australian tour. We all have our minds on a successful Australian tour.
Source: Dailymirror
