Colombo: Arjuna Ranatunga, the Sri Lankan
world cup cricket winning captain, today accused President
Mahinda Rajapaksa of preferring the IPL matches last year even
at the cost of playing for the national side.
"President Mahinda Rajapaksa allowed the Sri Lankan
cricket players (last year) to participate in the IPL even if
it meant it was at the expense of their playing for the
national team to participate in international cricket
matches," Ranatunga, who at that time was the Chairman of the
Interim Committee of Sri Lanka cricket, alleged at a press
conference here.
Ranatunga was apparently referring to the controversy
of Sri Lankan cricket players wanting to participate in the
second edition of the Indian Premier League last year at a
time when the SLC agreed for an ad-hoc tour of England around
the same time.
This was to fill a vacancy created by the cancellation
of a tour to England by Zimbabwe during the period. The tour
was subsequently cancelled.
Ranatunga, who has had an uneasy relationship with
Rajapaksa since he was sacked from the top post in Sri Lanka
cricket, has put his weight behind opposition Presidential
candidate Sarath Fonseka as the former top general seeks to
unseat Rajapakse on January 26.
Rajapakse and Fonseka, who have been at loggerheads
over who should claim credit for the military victory over
Tamil Tiger rebels in May, are in a straight fight.
PTI
