Sri Lanka cricket's anti-corruption unit detained five Indian spectators on suspicion of match-fixing during Sunday's third and final women's one-day international (ODI) between the hosts and India, an official said.

The five were initially asked to leave the ground at Katunayake, just north of the capital Colombo, and later detained by police for investigations, the official said.

“We felt their behaviour was suspicious at the grounds and all of them were seen excessively communicating on their phones,” the Sri Lanka cricket official, who declined to be named, told AFP. “We exercised our right to remove them from the ground and the police took over the investigation.”

Authorities believe that the suspects may have had links with foreign gambling operations. Betting on sports is illegal in Sri Lanka. Police said they were questioning the suspects.

Sri Lanka won Sunday's match by three wickets, but India won the three-match tournament 2-1.

Last month, two Indians were apprehended in Sri Lanka after officials spotted them behaving suspiciously and making repeated calls on their mobile phones during a domestic T20 tournament match.

Since last month Sri Lanka Cricket has deployed more anti-corruption officials at match venues.

Sri Lanka has also announced plans for tougher laws against sports corruption and a special police unit to deal with match-fixing following an Al-Jazeera documentary in May exposing corruption in global cricket in which three Sri Lankan officials were filmed agreeing to sway matches.

Opinion

Editorial

Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.
Concerning measures
Updated 03 Nov, 2024

Concerning measures

The govt must seek political input and consensus on the changes it is seeking to make and be open about its intentions.
Short-lived relief?
03 Nov, 2024

Short-lived relief?

POLICYMAKERS must be jumping with joy. At the close of the first quarter of FY25, the budget posted a consolidated...
Brisk spread
03 Nov, 2024

Brisk spread

THE surge in polio cases has reached distressing levels with a tally of 45 last reported, after two cases emerged in...