Herath, Perera questioned over alleged match-fixing scandal

Sri Lankan players Kusal Perera and Rangana Herath have been questioned by the Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) over an alleged match-fixing scandal, a police source said. Opening batsman Perera had alerted the officials about an approach made by bookies to him and left-arm spinner Herath to underperform during the Test against West Indies at Galle in October.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) sources also revealed that captain Angelo Mathews and team manager Jerry Woutersz are due to be interviewed by the FCID. The FCID investigation began following a complaint lodged by the Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera. Jayasekera earlier said a practice net bowler in the national training squad and a coach are also being suspected of having links to match-fixing operators.

Jayasekera has also initiated a probe into Sri Lanka’s dismal showing in the tour of New Zealand, which concluded this week. Sri Lanka lost their number one ranking in the ICC T20 ratings when they lost 0-2 to the home side. They also lost the Test series by the same margin and the ODI series 1-3.

Perera has recently been in the news for wrong reasons. He was pulled out of the New Zealand Tour after he was tested positive in a drug test done. This was the second such instance in the Sri Lankan cricket after Upul Tharanga had failed a dope test and was suspended for three months after testing positive for a banned substance during the 2011 World Cup. The Sri Lankan sports minister previously defended the tainted keeper hinting it was a conspiracy.