Sri Lankan international Chamara Silva banned for two years for fixing

Twitter/ Pushpendra Albe

New Delhi: In a big development coming from Sri Lankan cricket, international cricketer Chamara Silva has been handed a two-year ban for fixing. This was following a long probe concerning a tier-two game in first-class cricket.

The game was played between two clubs earlier in January this year. Silva played for Sri Lanka between 1999 and 2011. He played 11 Test matches, 75 ODIs and 16 T20Is.

Both clubs have influential members of the current SLC administration headed by Thilanga Sumathipala. The complaint of alleged match fixing was lodged by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, which was under Arjuna Ranatunga, the former world cup winning captain, at that time. Ranatunga was then the Minister of Ports and Shipping before becoming Petroleum Minister in May.

Ranatunga and Sumathipala are currently involved in a public slanging over the poor state of Sri Lanka’s cricket. Sumathipala has come under pressure to resign as the SLC boss after India whitewashed Sri Lanka in both Test and ODI series last month.

In another related development, the SLC last night announced a new selection panel. Graeme Labrooy, an international in the mid 1980s, has been made the head of the panel.

Other members are Gamini Wickramasingha, a former Test wicket keeper, Asanka Gurusinha, the current cricket manager, and Jerry Woutersz, an international from pre-Test era in the 1970s. (With PTI inputs)