Responding to former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s match-fixing claims on 2011 ICC World Cup, former Sri Lanka star spinner Muttiah Muralitharan says that he need not comment on the matter as Aluthgamage had clarified the players were not involved in the alleged incident.
He mentioned this responding to journalist’s questions in Nuwara Eliya yesterday (27).
Although he was a part of the playing XI in the 2011 ICC World Cup, Muralitharan says he has no issue with the statement as the former Minister himself has mentioned that players were not involved in the matter.
He further says that selection is not relevant to him as he was just a player and not even the Captain or the Vice-Captain of the team. He said he cannot comment on the decision made by the selection board, coaches and the captains.
“I have played cricket for 20 years. I have not and will not criticize anyone.
The selectors must have thought that their opinion was correct at that time. A team cannot be selected if everyone had their inputs.
If a selector made their choice with everyone’s agreement, it should be accepted as the final decision and the relevant team should play.
That is how it went during the 20 years I was in cricket.”
