Sri Lanka’s World Cup–winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga likely to be arrested

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s former cricket captain and 1996 World Cup–winning hero Arjuna Ranatunga is likely to face arrest in connection with an alleged corruption case involving oil procurement, Sri Lankan media reported.

According to the reports, Ranatunga, who previously served as the country’s Minister of Petroleum, has been accused of financial irregularities in oil purchases. He is currently outside Sri Lanka, and a Colombo magistrate has ordered his arrest upon his return to the country.

The oil corruption scandal has already led to the arrest of Ranatunga’s elder brother, further intensifying scrutiny of the case.

It is noteworthy that during Sri Lanka’s political crisis in 2018, Ranatunga was also arrested on charges related to firing and murder.

An incident of gunfire in Colombo at the time resulted in one death and injuries to two others, with police describing Ranatunga’s role in the incident as significant.

Arjuna Ranatunga captained Sri Lanka to its historic Cricket World Cup victory in 1996, a landmark achievement in the country’s sporting history. Following his retirement from cricket, he entered politics and has held several key positions since 2001.