Srilanka’s Hambantota High Court recently filed charges against former off-spin bowler Sachithra Senanayake. The 40-year-old player attempted to provoke his fellow player into match-fixing during the 2020 Lanka Premier League (LPL). Although this isn’t new for Sachithra, as he was earlier arrested and released for the same.
Who was the player that Sachithra tried to provoke into match-fixing?
Sachithra Senanayake tried a corrupt approach to provoke fellow national player Tharindu Ratnayake into match-fixing. This incident occurred during the 2020 edition of the Lanka Premier League, where he represented the Colombo Kings.
First indictment after anti-corruption legislation
The Department of Attorney General has reported that Sachithra’s match-fixing case is the first of its kind under the newly enforced law. This marks the first indictment of a national-level cricketer in violation of the country’s most recently enacted ‘Anti-Corruption Legislation’. Sachithra Senanayake was arrested for match-fixing and granted release on bail in 2023.
Cricketing Background of Sachithra Senanayake
Sachithra Senanayake has a notable cricketing background, having played the following:
| Test | 1 |
| One Day Internationals (ODIs) | 49 |
| Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) | 24 |
The 40-year-old played for Sri Lanka and took 78 wickets in his international career (ODIs: 53 wickets, and T20Is: 25 wickets) between 2012 and 2016. Additionally, the former off-spinner was also a member of Sri Lanka’s successful squad in the 2014 T20 World Cup.
Sports Ministry Special Investigation on Sachithra Senanayake
Earlier, while Sachithra denied the allegations against him, a 3-month travel ban was imposed on him. In August 2024, the Attorney General instructed the Sports Ministry to appoint a special investigation team. After that, a thorough prosecution of the criminal charges against him was implemented.
‘Daily Mirror’, a Sri Lankan news publisher, reported that Sachithra Senanayake had contacted two other cricketers. This occurred during the inaugural season of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in 2020. The entire conversation took place by telephone from Dubai, where the 40-year-old cricketer tried to influence them to indulge in match-fixing.
IPL Journey of Sachithra Senanayake
Sachithra played in the 2013 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and had good moments with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). But, that happened to be his only appearance in the most anticipated league.
| Matches | Balls | Runs Conceded | Wickets | Average | Economy |
| 8 | 192 | 209 | 9 | 23.22 | 6.53 |
Unfortunately, Sachithra had a shorter IPL career, with only 8 matches. But the former Sri Lankan player didn’t disappoint with his bowling performances. Senanayake has a good average of 23.22 and an economy of 6.53.
Other than IPL, he played for the Big Bash League (BBL) in the 2012-13 season, where the former Sri Lankan player represented the Sydney Sixers team. Also, he played the T20 Blast Competition in 2015, representing Worcestershire
Not the First Time: Sri Lanka Court Punishes Sachithra Senanayake
Other than the match-fixing issues, Sachithra Senanayake had many controversies in the past. A ‘Ban from Bowling’ was imposed on this former Sri Lankan off-spinner because of his illegal action. Also, this isn’t the first time for Sachithra, as he was arrested in 2023 and released on bail.
Match-fixing was made a criminal offense according to the 2019-enacted law, and the Police clarified that Sachithra is the first player to fall under the penalty of this law.
The former player of Sri Lanka’s successful squad is accused of breaching the enforced law, which could result in a conviction of 10 years in jail. In addition, he might have to pay a spine-breaking fine, the amount of which could range anywhere up to INR 100 million ($333,000). It could be either one of these two or both, depending on the violations of Senanayake.
Harin Fernando, the Former sports minister, has unveiled the new, toughest, and strictest law. He said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) considers Sri Lanka one of the most corrupt cricketing nations.
On the other hand, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, another former sports minister, stated in parliament in 2021 that match-fixing was widely prevalent in Sri Lanka. Even Aluthagamage was accused of corruption. The Colombo High Court sentenced 20 years of harsh imprisonment, as he indulged in a devastating corruption crime that ruined the Sri Lankan government over INR 53 million.
Protest against Corruption in 1996
The corruption cases in cricket are not the new-age happenings, as it has been repeating since ages. Holding protests was a kind of belief to stop such happenings and one such incident happened in 2012. Arjuna Ranatunga, the former cricketer of Sri Lanka and 1996 World Cup-winning skipper urged fans to boycott the matches. This was implemented in protest against Corruption, Indiscipline, and Mismanagement in the national squad.
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