IPL 6 spot-fixing: Ranatunga has the last laugh

COLOMBO: World Cup winning Sri Lanka cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga feels the rich culture of India is being destroyed by the 'monster' called IPL (Indian Premier League).

“India created a monster through the IPL and it is now haunting them,” Ranatunga has said in an interview with The Island newspaper.

He was one of the few who opposed the IPL ever since it was launched in 2008 and warned that cash-rich tournament would destroy the very fabric of the game.

After the arrest of a team owner following the spot-fixing scandal, five years on, his predictions have proved to be prophetic.

Last week, in a sequel to the spot-fixing saga in the IPL, Chennai Super Kings CEO, Gurunath Maiyappan, who is the son-in-law of Indian Cricket Board President N. Sirinivasan, was arrested in Bombay.

It is feared that more arrests could follow after three Rajasthan Royals cricketers, including Indian pacer S Sreesanth, were arrested for their involvement in spot-fixing.

“The gentleman’s game of ours has been tarnished by betting, prostitution, alcohol and drugs, which is what the IPL has been promoting. India is a country with a rich culture and tradition and the IPL has devastated all that,” Ranatunga, now an opposition politician said.

He also blasted the International Cricket Council (ICC) for being silent on the whole episode.

“I don’t know why the ICC didn’t say anything the whole of the last week when the game’s reputation was being severely harmed. In 2008, the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit head, Sir Paul Condon warned about the dangers of the IPL. But they just turned a blind eye. I feel only the small fishes have been caught, the big fishes are still at large,” Ranatunga added.

“Over the years, there has been a lot of manipulations taking place in the IPL, but the authorities didn’t bother,” Ranatunga went on to say.

He also slammed the Sri Lanka cricketers for being lured by the riches of the IPL and ignoring warnings of trouble.

“Our cricketers, at most times, promoted the IPL and protected the tournament from any criticism. They are quick to raise their voices against corruption in Sri Lankan cricket, but don’t utter a word when it comes to corruption in the IPL. Some of our cricketers are hypocrites,” Ranatunga said.

Nine of the 15-member squad chosen for the Champions Trophy, were involved in the sixth edition of the just-concluded IPL including Test captain Angelo Mathews and Mumbai Indians star Lasith Malinga.

“IPL money has brought over most of the top players in the world, and some of the past cricketers too have forgotten how the sport brought them to the limelight and they aren’t doing much to protect the game,” he added.  

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