Former Sri Lankan cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara is calling for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to investigate explosive claims that the 2011 World Cup final was "fixed".
Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who was the Sri Lankan sports minister between 2010-15, has made the accusations in an interview with Sirasa TV.
Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni slammed half-centuries to help India chase down 275 runs with 10 balls to spare to defeat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final.
"I tell you today that we [Sri Lanka team] sold the 2011 World Cup," Aluthgamage says. "I tell this with responsibility.
"I don't want to divulge too much for the sake of the country. I say the match against India, the one we could have won, we betrayed."
Sangakkara, who captained Sri Lanka in the final, has urged Aluthgamage to present his evidence to the ICC.
"It's a very serious allegation," Sangakkara told Associated Press.
"Since he says he has evidence and proof, the prudent thing to do is to go to the Anti-Corruption Unit of the ICC and put forth his claims, so they can investigate them thoroughly, and come to a conclusion whether what the former minister says is true or not."
Mahela Jayawardene, who scored a century for Sri Lanka in the final, echoes Sangakkara's comments.
"Is the elections around the corner... like the circus has started... names and evidence?" he has tweeted.
Aluthgamage claims no players were involved in the match-fixing, but "certain parties were".
He is not the first to makes these claims, with 1996 World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga also saying there must be an enquiry into the defeat.
Sri Lanka eliminated New Zealand in that tournament, beating them by five wickets in the semi-finals.
