Former Sri Lankan spin bowler Sachithra Senanayake was the first cricketer to be charged with a crime after being captured by Sri Lankan police on Wednesday, in accordance with a 2019 rule that makes match-fixing a crime.
Senanayake, 38, was detained by a police team investigating sports-related crimes. Although no formal charges have been filed, police claim that the detention is related to an incident that occurred during the 2020 Lanka Premier League (LPL).
Senanayake’s passport was seized by a court last month while a police investigation into the allegations was underway. Senanayake is accused of convincing two LPL players to manipulate games in 2020.
If found guilty, Senanayake faces up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to 100 million rupees ($309,000), or both.
The news comes as Sri Lanka works to eliminate match-fixing. The new rule was implemented by the country’s previous sports minister, Harin Fernando, who claimed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) considered Sri Lanka to be one of the most corrupt cricket nations.