The paper says the International Cricket Council's (ICC) anti-corruption unit (ACU) is currently in Sri Lanka lobbying the Government to make match-fixing a criminal offence, as they also investigate cases of corruption in the country.

The chairman of the ACU Alex Marshall reportedly met with Sri Lanka's Prime Minister and President last week and is due for further meetings with Government officials later this month.

As several investigations reach a critical stage, it is said politicians have offered more resources to fight the issue.

On Monday (October 8) three players were charged with 19 counts of breaching the anti-corruption code, including offences related to a game at the 2016 World Twenty20 tournament in India.

A groundsman at the Galle International Stadium in Sri Lanka has also been suspended after a documentary aired by Al Jazeera earlier this year alleged the pitch would be tampered with before a Test match against England next month.

Match-fixing is already a criminal offence in Australia and South Africa under specific sports laws and a bribery act in the United Kingdom allows courts in the country to charge players.

No such system exists anywhere in the sub-continent, however.

It is hoped that by making both match-fixing and approaching players to fix illegal in Sri Lanka, the ICC can encourage other nations, including India, to follow suit.

Police support would make life much more difficult for fixers, by allowing for the examination of bank accounts, tax returns and the freezing of assets, The Telegraph reported.

The ACU is also likely to use the charge of failing to support an investigation more often, for example if players or officials refuse to hand over mobile phones or other computer records.

Sri Lankan domestic cricket is currently seen as vulnerable, with the sport in the country in a state of turmoil.

Board elections are currently on hold, with three different groups vying for power.

In February the ICC appointed an interim board to run the sport in the meantime.