Former India U-19 World Cup winner Manjot Kalra arrested in Sri Lanka

Manjot Kalra, a former India Under-19 World Cup-winning cricketer and co-owner of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Jaffna Kings, has been arrested by Sri Lanka Police over an alleged match-fixing approach made to a player. The arrest was carried out by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports on Thursday night, just hours before the opening match of the 2026 LPL season. According to Police, Kalra was arrested at a five-star hotel in Colombo while allegedly attempting to pay Rs. 9.5 million (approximately US$28,700) to a player to influence the outcome of a match. Police said the player had first reported the alleged approach around 10 days ago, prompting an investigation that led to the arrest. Kalra is expected to be produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court. Kalra was part of India’s victorious squad at the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup alongside future international stars including captain Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Mavi. He played a key role in India’s title triumph, scoring an unbeaten century in the final against Australia. He was announced as part of the ownership group of the Jaffna Kings franchise ahead of the 2026 LPL season. Following the arrest, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that the Lanka Premier League 2026 will commence as scheduled this evening at the SSC Grounds in Colombo. SLC said it would extend its fullest cooperation to the SIU should any assistance be sought during the investigation. The governing body reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, misconduct and unethical practices, stressing that it will not tolerate foul play by any stakeholder associated with the league. SLC added that its Anti-Corruption Unit has been working closely with the SIU to strengthen the tournament’s anti-corruption framework. It has also engaged Integrity Mentors, an independent sports integrity organisation, to provide specialist support and education throughout the competition to ensure a fair, transparent and corruption-free tournament. Sri Lanka has some of the world’s toughest anti-corruption laws in sport under the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act of 2019, which criminalises match-fixing, spot-fixing, bribery and other forms of manipulation in sport. Convictions can result in substantial fines and prison terms. The latest arrest comes months after Dambulla Thunders owner Tamim Rahman was convicted of attempting to influence a player and organising betting. He received a four-year prison sentence, suspended for five years, and was fined Rs. 24 million. Police said investigations into the latest case are continuing. (Newswire)