Sri Lankan cricket board slams Bishan Singh Bedi

Sri Lanka on Thursday denounced former India skipper Bishan Singh Bedi’s “vituperative outburst” against Muttiah Muralidharan as “needless and unfair”.
In reference to Bedi’s comments that Muralidharan was taking advantage of his physical deformity and that the ICC have “created a monster” by allowing him to continue to bowl, the Sri Lankan cricket board said such remarks were intended to “harm the bowler’s reputation and achievements”.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) media manager Samantha Algama said in a statement: “It is irresponsible for a person of Bedi’s stature to make such public comments where he has attacked the personal integrity of Muralidharan and technical competency of the ICC.
Bedi has needlessly, unfairly and deliberately targeted Muralidharan in his vituperative outburst.”
Algama said SLC would back Muralidharan if he intends to take action against Bedi. “We feel that Bedi’s comments are defamatory and intended to cause harm to his reputation and achievements, and also disparage the ICC’s ruling on the matter.”
“SLC sincerely believes that appropriate action should be taken by the authorities to prevent such incidents from recurring and will support any and all efforts by Muralidharan to take corrective action in the matter.”
Bedi, who has been a vocal critic of Muralidharan, said the Sri Lankan was killing the game by setting a wrong precedent for youngsters.