Sachitra Senanayake, former Sri Lankan spinner, was detained by Sri Lanka Police on September 6 in connection with allegations of match-fixing. Senanayake turned himself in to the Sports Corruption Investigation Unit after a judge had already barred him from flying abroad, according to PTI.
The Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act, which was adopted in 2019 to combat corruption in sports, had its first arrest with Senanayake. The arrest relates to Senanayake’s alleged involvement in two players fixing games during the 2020 season of the Lanka Premier League, even though he didn’t play in the competition.
Senanayake is scheduled to appear in court, and the Sports Ministry’s special investigation section plans to file criminal charges against him. The 38-year-old Senanayake played in 24 T20Is, 49 ODIs, and one Test for Sri Lanka. His bowling action caused numerous issues throughout his international career, which lasted from 2012 to 2016. The ICC banned the offspinner in 2014.
Senanayake, a member of Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup-winning team in 2014, also played for the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders team. He returned to international cricket in 2015 with a modified action, but he wasn’t as successful. In a T20I match against Australia in September 2016, he made his final international appearance.
