Sanath Jayasuriya, instrumental in bringing a tsunami of runs with his explosive batting in the first 15 overs, but now banned by the ICC for two years for not co-operating with an anti-corruption investigation, enjoyed the Sri Lanka-India game at Headingley from the general stand.
“I am just an ordinary spectator,” he said, as his colleague and another Sri Lankan great Arvind da Silva smiled next to him. The two were sitting in a sea of blue with not many Lankans in the stands to cheer their team.
Jayasuriya was banned for two years from all cricket in February 2019 after he refused to give his phone details and destroyed possible evidence in investigations into the larger malaise in the Sri Lankan cricketing establishment. He later admitted to “concealing, tampering with or destroying evidence”. Jayasuriya is a former chairman of selectors and has been a member of the Sri Lankan Parliament. He retired in 2012 and was the Man of the Tournament when Sri Lanka won the World Cup in 1996.
“It is clear that there were no corruption charges, betting charges or misuse of inside information charges levelled against me. I decided to admit the said charges at the first instance for the love of the cricket, for the greater good and to protect the integrity of cricket. I reiterate the fact that I have always maintained a high degree of integrity throughout my cricketing career,” he had then said in a statement.
At Headingley, meanwhile, Jaisuriya and Da Silva had to be moved into an ICC security cordon after cameras spotted them in the stand and there was a rush of fans around them just when Sri Lanka was about to end their innings.