Ranatunga: I was set up

Arjuna Ranatunga, the former captain of Sri Lanka, has issued a passionate denial of any wrongdoing following the accusation that he has been involved in match fixing.

Ranatunga and former vice-captain Aravinda de Silva were both implicated in the Indian police report, apparently named by the infamous bookmaker, MK Gupta, in connection with a match in 1994.

"Cricket is everything to me and how can anyone think that I will do something like that," Ranatunga said before declaring his faith in the ICC investigation and promising to co-operate fully with their enquiry.

"I have explained my position about the so-called match-fixing charges, and I have also said that I am ready to face any International Cricket Council enquiry to clear my name. I have full faith in the ICC and I am ready to meet any of their representatives to give any clarification they need."

Ranatunga also suggested he was the victim of a conspiracy. "The old board was after me because I had criticized its functioning, as I knew something bad was happening there. This is the reason they went after me," he claimed.

The Sri Lankan cricket board is currently in a period of flux. The Minister for Sport suspended it last week following charges of financial irregularity, and placed an interim board in place.