Lokuarachchi admits to not reporting approach

Sri Lanka batsman Kaushal Lokuarachchi failed to report an approach made to him, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has said, and had not been charged with any other corrupt activity. Lokuarachchi had rejected the approach, the board said in a statement.

SLC was responding to various media reports linking Lokuarachchi to corruption in the Bangladesh Premier League, where he played for Dhaka Gladiators. The tribunal appointed to investigate corruption in the league recently released its findings, clearing all but one of the seven who had pleaded not guilty to different charges. Bangladesh batsman Mohammad Ashraful, former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent had pleaded guilty to their respective offences.

Shakil Kasem, a member of the tribunal, had named Lokuarachchi while speaking to AFP. ""Vincent, Lokuarachchi and Ashraful have already pleaded guilty," Kasem had said. "We're going to review their guilty pleas, deliberate on that and come up with sanctions within two weeks."

SLC said: " … contrary to the several articles carried in the print and electronic media saying that Kaushal Lokuarachchi had pleaded guilty to match fixing, he was not charged for any corrupt activity and the only offence he had committed was a failure to report an approach made to him, which he had rejected. We would also like to confirm that he has cooperated with the ICC in the investigation and that he has not been sanctioned and the proceedings are continuing."