Sri Lanka orders probe into match-fixing

Sri Lankan government on Monday launched a police probe into allegations of match-fixing levelled by former captain Hashan Tillakaratne.

Tillakaratne, who played 83 Tests and 200 one-dayers during a 15-year career, said last week that the island nation's players had been involved in match-fixing since 1992 adding that he was prepared to name some of them.

"I have asked the inspector-general of police to investigate these claims and give a report to me," sports minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told reporters after a meeting with cricket administrators.

Tillakaratne, who led Sri Lanka between April 2003 and March 2004 also expressed reservations about team selection for the 2011 World Cup.

Sri Lanka lost to India in the final of the mega event last month.

"Match fixing is something which has been in this country over a period of time. This has spread like a cancer today," Tillakaratne was quoted as saying by Sri Lanka's Daily Mirror newspaper on Friday.

"There were threats of this issue being exposed at various times. But it was pushed down by giving money to various people.

"If the people who were responsible for that are listening to this, I state this today with great responsibility, I will shortly reveal the names of those responsible," he said.

Sri Lanka's World Cup captain Kumar Sangakkara had on Sunday asked Tillakaratne to prove his allegations.

"Hashan has played the game for years and he's captained Sri Lanka as well. So it's interesting to see what he has to say and if he has anything more than allegations," Sangakkara had said.

Sangakkara said that if there is any basis in the claims, Tillakaratne should work with the International Cricket Council (ICC) the home authorities to ensure that something's done about it.