Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer was poisoned before being strangled - apparently rendering him unable to fight back - claims a BBC programme.
Preliminary tests revealed a drug would have incapacitated the 58-year-old, according to Panorama.
Police officer Mark Shields said: "The lack of external injuries suggests there might be some other factors - that's what we're looking into."
Adam Gilchrist hopes Australia's historic achievement is not overshadowed by the farcical scenes at the end of the rain-hit World Cup final in Barbados.
Australia's wicketkeeper-batsman walked away with the man-of-the-match award after the ninth World Cup final for his stunning 149 off 104 balls, which included 13 fours and eight sixes, which helped secure a 53-run triumph under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
"We're not letting the events at the end there tarnish anything this team has achieved in this whole tournament," stressed Gilchrist. "We've had 29 undefeated World Cup games, we've had 23 wins in a row and the way we've played our cricket here and what we've achieved has been phenomenal."
He added: "We have to try to highlight how an amazing group of people have come out and performed so well - it's been an amazing summer and an amazing World Cup campaign."
Gilchrist's views were echoed by proud skipper Ponting, whose own 140 to win the 2003 final in Johannesburg against India was eclipsed by the wicketkeeper's whirlwind knock.
It enabled the Aussies to run up a formidable 281 for four in a game shortened to 38 overs a side, although Sri Lanka's target was later reduced to 269 off 36 overs after further showers.
"As far as I'm concerned he hasn't played a better one," enthused Ponting. "To go out and do it in a World Cup final and hardly miss the middle of the bat for most of the day was unbelievable.
"It was an unbelievable innings and I hope it's not missed with everything else that went on. It's one of the best innings you'll ever see, one of the best innings I've ever seen."
International cricket chief Malcolm Speed has insisted the ICC will not "overreact" to the umpiring errors which resulted in a farcical ending to the World Cup final.
Match referee Jeff Crowe accepted full responsibility but Speed, the chief executive of the International Cricket Council, insisted they would not be seeking resignations or considering dismissals.
Asked whether the officials in question would survive, Speed stressed: "They certainly do have a future in the game - we're not going to overreact to this. The umpires and the playing control team and Jeff Crowe, they had earned the right to umpire in the World Cup final because they are outstanding umpires and an outstanding referee."
He added: "I saw Jeff Crowe this morning, he came up to me and said 'I am very sorry about yesterday (Saturday), we are all very sorry about yesterday, it shouldn't have happened'."
Glenn McGrath headed into retirement after helping Australia to a record third World Cup crown and admitted: "I'm loving every minute of it".
McGrath's side became the first team in World Cup history to wear the one-day crown for a third successive time as Adam Gilchrist's 149 carried them to a 53-run Duckworth-Lewis win over Sri Lanka.
"It's a bit dark but I'm loving every minute of it," said McGrath on Sky Sports 2. "Each time (Australia have won it) we have taken it to the next level and I'm going to make the most of it now."
Gilchrist hit the highest individual score in any final to power his team to 281 for four in a match shortened by rain to 38 overs per side at Kensington Oval.
Sri Lanka, handicapped by the return of bad weather and a short interruption in their innings, took up the challenge on the back of half-centuries from Sanath Jayasuriya (63) and Kumar Sangakkara (54).
But chasing a revised target of 269, they could finish on only 215 for eight as bad light made batting hazardous in the later overs before a farcical ending in which Sri Lanka appeared to take the bad light before play continued.
Coach John Buchanan will also step down from his role and admitted: "It is a fairytale. I didn't think I'd come through it!
"But it's a fantastic feeling, absolutely brilliant.
"It's all been an unbelievable achievement and it's due to the team, and the support of people around the team.
"It is due to great people and great players that made what has happened happen."
Snake venom was not used to murder Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, according to Jamaican police.
With the 58-year-old Englishman's body being returned to his family in South Africa - and investigators also heading to Cape Town next month - deputy commissioner of Jamaica police Mark Shields refuted speculation about the way he was killed.
"It is not snake venom," Shields told BBC News.
Shields hit out at continued "wild" speculation surrounding the murder this week and said speculation about poisoning was "causing a lot of distress" to Woolmer's family.
"The priority is to see the truth. We are seeking experts and taking time to conduct a thorough investigation," he added.
International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed has admitted the current World Cup tournament has been too long.
The 47-day event is generally considered to have been a lacklustre affair and its length is one of a number of aspects to have been criticised.
Speed conceded that the next one in Asia in 2011 will need to be shorter, telling BBC Radio Five Live: "We listen to criticism, and there has been a lot of it from people saying it's been too long, so we'll look to make it shorter."
He added: "We'll seek to reduce this 47-day World Cup by seven or 10 days, and hopefully we'll get it down to somewhere between five and six weeks next time."
The ICC have also come under fire for their ticketing policy and draconian rules on taking musical instruments into grounds.
Many matches have been poorly attended and the tournament has not been well supported by locals, who have largely been deterred by high prices.
South African newspapers have blasted the national team for the "stupid" tactics employed by the Proteas during the loss to Australia in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.
South Africa tried to take on the Australian attack on a pitch that favoured the bowlers, landing themselves in trouble as they slumped to 27 for five before losing by seven wickets.
"Proteas succumb like lambs to the slaughter" was how Johannesburg newspaper the Star described the result.
"Once more the pressure of a semi-final proved too much for South Africa as their World Cup dreams were ripped to shreds by an awful batting performance against a charged-up Australia. All that talk about being confident, calm and clear of thought turned out to be just talk."
The Pretoria News called it "A fair dinkum Walloping" with a sidebar that said the "Moment was too big for SA".
It continued: "South African coach Mickey Arthur said before this match that if South Africa brought their "A game to the party" they would do well. Yesterday they brought their F game, or something worse."
Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday released a statement in which the governing body called the Proteas' exit "disappointing".
Chief executive officer Gerald Majola said: "We must remember that this is virtually the same squad that won 13 matches on the trot and established themselves as the world's best ODI exponents over the last two years.
"We have to find a way of taking this consistency into tournaments because this World Cup has shown an alarming inconsistency in the performances by the Proteas. No stone was left unturned over the past two years in preparing them for this World Cup.
"So against this preparation and support background, we have to find out why they were so inconsistent and put remedial measures in place. We remain, however, deeply disappointed in the Proteas' performance in the semi-final and at the World Cup in general. We will take the lessons learnt from this into our immediate and future plans."
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