• Says he does not intend to push for an investigation, citing that the Sports Minister has no jurisdiction over the LPL
• Says Sports Minister does not have a say in the LPL tournament as it is organised by the IPG group

An opposition MP is alleged to have been involved in match-fixing during the last league of the LPL tournament, Minister of Sports,  Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando said yesterday.   

“I would like to tell my friend SJB MP Hesha Withanage not  to talk of LPL tournament as there is some allegation against an  opposition MP with regard to the same,” the Minister told a press  conference.   

“I cannot mention any names of those who have been  involved. However, there is an allegation that an opposition MP was  involved in match-fixing at the last league of LPL. There is a talk of  investigation,” the Minister said when contacted by the Daily Mirror.   

However, the minister said he does not intend to push for an investigation and would not get involved in any such process.   

He said the Sports Minister does not have a say in the LPL tournament as it is organised by the IPG group.   
“There are players who have retired from official cricket  but still play for tournaments such as LPL and IPL as it is commercially  driven tournaments. However, we have no say in it” he also said.   

The Minister said many steps have been taken to put Sri  Lankan cricket on the right track. “There were more than 100 members of  Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and it will be limited to around 65 in  accordance with the new constitution. No politician will be able to  contest for a post in SLC in the future. Not even a member of a  Pradeshiya Sabha will be able to contest for a post in SLC in the  future. Even some existing office bearers will have given up, as there  will be a new rule that no one can hold a post at SLC for more than 15  years. We have initiated many changes, but it will take some time to  implement all these,” he said.  

He said many are speaking about the debacle at the T20 World Cup, but none is speaking about the success gained by Sri  Lanka’s women’s team which is on a winning spree.