Former India U19 cricketer allegedly linked to LPL bribery case, arrested by Sri Lanka police

Former India U19 cricketer Manjot Kalra was arrested in Sri Lanka on suspicion of attempting to bribe players. The former cricketer, also a co-owner of the Jaffna Kings franchise in the Lanka Premier League (LPL), was detained by Sri Lanka's sports anti-corruption investigation unit just hours before the tournament was due to begin.

Kalra became popular after he smashed a century in the Under-19 World Cup final against Australia in 2018. He was also a teammate of current India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill.

The cricketer eventually transitioned from cricketer to entrepreneur after he became part of the Jaffna Kings ownership group.

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Manjot Kalra arrested for alleged bribery in Sri Lanka 

Kalra was identified as a suspect and was arrested at a hotel after he was allegedly 'about to pay' over 9.5 million Sri Lankan rupees (USD 28,700). The former India U19 cricketer would be presented in front of a magistrate, as revealed by Sports Investigation Unit inspector Supun Vidanage.

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The sports investigation inspector added that the player had alerted the law enforcement authorities soon after Kalra first approached him around 10 days before the tournament kicked off, leading to an investigation and the arrest. Kalra had reportedly also approached two other players.

LPL 2026 to continue as planned

The franchise co-owner's arrest took place on the same day as the commencement of the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League, with the tournament-opening match taking place between the Jaffna Kings and Galle Titans on July 17 at 07:30 PM IST.

Despite the recent development, the LPL tournament is expected to happen according to the schedule.

The Sri Lanka Cricket also acknowledged Kalra's arrest and said that it would cooperate with the law enforcement authorities throughout the investigation.

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"Sri Lanka Cricket reiterates its unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the tournament and will not tolerate any form of corruption, misconduct, or foul play by any stakeholder associated with the league," the board said in a statement.

Notably, the LPL tournament was marred by corruption allegations in the past when a Sri Lankan court slapped a four-year suspension sentence on a British owner of an LPL franchise for match-fixing. Tamim Rahman, the Dambulla Thunders owner, had also admitted to organising betting and attempting to influence a player and was handed a four-year jail term and a five-year suspension. He was also fined 24 million rupees.

The conviction was in line with a strict 2019 law aimed at preventing corruption in sports in Sri Lanka.

(With Agency Inputs)