Sachitra Senanayake, a former Sri Lankan cricketer, was arrested today (06) morning by the Sports Offenses Special Investigation Unit on charges related to match-fixing. The arrest occurred when Senanayake visited the Sports Offenses Investigation Unit with legal representation, and he is scheduled to appear in court.
The allegations against Senanayake stem from his involvement in the Lanka Premier League held in Hambantota in 2021. During the tournament, Senanayake purportedly approached two players representing teams from Dubai, the Colombo Kings and Dambulla Vikings, with an offer to manipulate matches in exchange for financial gain.
However, both players declined Senanayake’s proposal and reported the incident to the International Cricket Council (ICC), providing information and evidence. The ICC subsequently forwarded the complaint to Sri Lanka’s sports misconduct prevention police unit, which initiated an investigation into the matter.
This investigation has been ongoing for two years and is of critical importance to the ICC’s anti-corruption efforts. In fact, the head of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, Alex Marshall, visited Sri Lanka to engage in discussions with the Attorney General regarding the case.
Before his arrest, the Colombo Magistrate’s Court issued a restraining order preventing Senanayake from traveling abroad for a period of three months. This order was issued in response to the ongoing criminal investigations into match-fixing allegations against him.
