Sri Lanka Cricketer Charged with Corruption

— Sri Lankan cricketer Praveen Jayawickrama has been charged with three counts of violating the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption code. The 25-year-old spinner has been given a 14-day period, starting from August 6, to respond to the allegations made against him by the ICC. The charges stem from Jayawickrama's failure to report an approach he received regarding match-fixing during the 2021 Lanka Premier League, as well as in future international matches. Additionally, he is accused of deleting messages that pertained to this corrupt approach, raising further concerns about his conduct. Jayawickrama made his international debut in 2021 against Bangladesh and has since taken 25 wickets across five Test matches. His last Test appearance was also against Bangladesh in 2022. In addition to his Test career, he has played five One Day Internationals and five T20 matches, with his most recent international outing occurring during a T20 series against Australia in Sri Lanka in 2022. In the domestic circuit, Jayawickrama was part of the Jaffna Kings team that clinched the Lanka Premier League title in 2021 and represented the Dambulla Sixers in the current season. The ongoing investigation into his actions highlights the ICC's commitment to maintaining the integrity of cricket amidst rising concerns over corruption in the sport.