Icon Sanath Jayasuriya, a member of Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning XI and a former Member of Parliament, has been charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching its Anti-Corruption Code on two counts.

Now 49, Jayasuriya hasn’t been charged with either match-fixing or spot-fixing, but for (a) not cooperating with an ongoing investigation and (b) concealing/tampering/destroying evidence pertaining to the same investigation.

Jayasuriya, a game-changing opener in the 50-over format, has “14 days” from Monday to respond to the charges.

According to well-placed sources of The Telegraph, the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) first got in touch with Jayasuriya around a year ago. To begin with, it was met with non-cooperation and, then, Jayasuriya declined to share details of calls made and received by him.

Such details are critical in any investigation, let alone one conducted by the ACU.

“Sri Lanka has been the focus of an ongoing investigation for some years and one of the leads pointed to Jayasuriya. One expected him to cooperate, but he did not, resulting in what has happened now,” explained one of the well-placed sources.

Jayasuriya, who is also a former captain and chief selector, may have been questioned by the ACU or, at least, a meeting could have been sought during his stay in Dubai for last month’s Asia Cup there and in the neighbouring Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

It’s not clear why Jayasuriya, who was Sri Lanka’s nominee on the technical committee for the tournament, left Dubai some days before the September 28 final.

The ICC is headquartered in Dubai.

Word from Sri Lanka is that Jayasuriya will call a media conference, either on Tuesday or Wednesday, to clarify his position.

According to the ICC, Jayasuriya has been charged with the following:

• Article 2.4.6 – Failure or refusal, without compelling justification to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU, including failure to provide accurately and completely any information and/or documentation requested by the ACU as part of such investigation.
  
• Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU, including concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code.
  

It’s worth recalling that Jayananda Warnaweera, former chief curator at the Galle Stadium, got suspended for three years for failing to cooperate with the ACU in the context of an ongoing investigation.

Warnaweera is a former Sri Lanka player too.