Sri Lankan authorities plan to arrest former World Cup-winning cricket captain Arjuna Ranatunga on corruption charges related to his time in government as petroleum minister.
Ranatunga and his brother are accused of changing the official process for awarding long-term oil supply contracts.
Investigators say this led to expensive spot purchases instead of cheaper long-term deals, causing major financial losses to the state.
According to Sri Lanka’s Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, the country lost around 800 million Sri Lankan rupees from 27 oil purchases made in 2017. This amount was worth just over five million US dollars at the time.
The court was told that Arjuna Ranatunga is currently abroad and will be arrested upon his return to Sri Lanka.
His elder brother, Dhammika Ranatunga, who served as chairman of the state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation during the same period, was arrested on Monday. He was later released on bail.
Arjuna Ranatunga is widely regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest cricket captains and players. He led the national team during a transformative era, most notably guiding Sri Lanka to their historic 1996 Cricket World Cup win.
A dependable middle-order batsman, Ranatunga featured in over 90 Test matches and close to 270 One Day Internationals, amassing thousands of runs and numerous match-winning performances.
Beyond his batting skills, he was celebrated for his strategic thinking, calm leadership under pressure, and ability to unify his team, leaving a lasting impact on Sri Lankan cricket. After winning the World Cup, he entered politics, serving as petroleum minister in the country’s previous government.