Sri Lanka’s early exit from the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia involved players partying at casinos and corruption, revealed an enquiry on Thursday.
Notably, Sri Lankan batter Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested soon after Sri Lanka’s premature exit from the T20WC and charged with four counts of sexual assault on a woman in Sydney.
An independent panel that had been investigating Danushka’s case has now come up with a report that shows other players, officials and associates of the Sri Lanka team also being involved in some mischiefs.
In the Men’s World Cup in Australia, Sri Lanka had faced an upset by Namibia in their opening match and couldn’t reach the knockouts, finishing 4th in the super 12 group.
The 63-page investigation report said that bowler Chamika Karunaratne was involved in a nasty fight at a casino accompanied by six teammates. Karunaratne, following the incident, was fined and suspended for a year.
The team manager of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Halangoda, told the investigation panel that the players went to a casino for dinner because all restaurants in Australia are closed after 8:00 or 8:30 pm, and it was the only food-offering venue. But the panel wasn’t convinced by the explanation.
According to the document seen by AFP, it was further revealed that a former manager Jerome Jayaratne had no role in the team but still stayed in Melbourne for ten days and got paid $7000.
The investigative panel reported that Jayaratne contributed nothing to the team and spent time with his sister.
Retired Supreme court Justice Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena had asked for an audit of the Sri Lankan board and urged their sports minister to seize the documents to ensure that evidence is not destroyed.
The report also said that a man claiming to be a prophet had established an influential connection with some team members and officials. Under his influence, only Karunaratne left an oil lamp burning in his room despite the fire alarm, they added.
Following the report’s disclosure, Sri Lankan sports minister Roshan Ranasinghe said he would study and act on it.
