Former KKR spinner from Sri Lanka indicted with match fixing during inaugural Lanka Premier League season: Reports

Former Sri Lankan spinner Sachithra Senanayake was indicted by a court in Hambantota for trying to lure a fellow player into match-fixing during the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in 2020. According to a report in Sri Lanka's "Daily Mirror", the 40-year-old had approached another player, Tharindu Ratnayake, who was representing Colombo Kings at that time.

The report also said that Senanayake had allegedly contacted two other players, who were playing in the same tournament via telephone from Dubai. He had tried to persuade both players to fix matches.

The Attorney General Department said that it was the first instance of a national level player being indicted for match-fixing under Sri Lanka's recently-introduced anti-corruption law. Senanayke was arrested and later released on bail in 2023.

A former World Cup winner who faced bowling action issues

Sachithra Senanayake represented Sri Lanka in one Test, 49 ODIs and 24 T20Is between 2012 and 2016. He took 78 international wickets in his career and his last appearance in national colours was against Australia in 2016.

He was part of the side that won the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2014. In the same year, the spinner made news when he ran Jos Buttler out at the non-striker's end in an ODI.

In franchise cricket, Senanayake was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad in 2013. He took nine wickets in eight matches at an economy rate of 8.53.

He also played for the Sydney Sixers in the 2012-13 Big Bash League season and represented Worcestershire in in T20 Blast competition in 2015.

The 40-year-old was banned from bowling in international cricket in July 2014 after his action was found to be illegal after he underwent a bio-mechanical assessment in Cardiff. In December that year, Senanayake was allowed to bowl again after he returned with a remodelled action.