Former India U-19 World Cup Winner Manjot Kalra Arrested in Sri Lanka Over Match-Fixing Probe
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Former India Under-19 cricketer Manjot Kalra, a member of India's 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning squad, has been arrested in Sri Lanka in connection with an alleged match-fixing investigation ahead of the 2026 Lanka Premier League (LPL).
Kalra, who is a co-owner of the Jaffna Kings franchise, was taken into custody by Sri Lanka Police's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports on Friday, just hours before the tournament opener.
Allegedly Tried to Pay Player
According to Sri Lankan investigators, Kalra was arrested at a hotel in Colombo while allegedly attempting to hand over 9.5 million Sri Lankan rupees (around USD 28,700) to a player.
Police claimed the player had approached authorities after allegedly being contacted by Kalra around 10 days earlier. The matter is now under investigation, and Kalra is expected to be produced before a magistrate.
LPL 2026 to Continue as Scheduled
Following the arrest, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said the Lanka Premier League would continue as planned.
The board said it would fully cooperate with investigators while reiterating its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and unethical conduct.
SLC also said its Anti-Corruption Unit has been working with the Special Investigations Unit and independent integrity experts to strengthen anti-corruption measures throughout the tournament.
Commercial Rights Holder Responds
Tournament rights holder IPG also said all franchise owners had undergone integrity and due diligence checks conducted by Sri Lanka Cricket's Anti-Corruption Unit in consultation with the ICC before the tournament.
The company said it would cooperate with investigators and maintained that the league remains committed to transparency and fair play.
Who is Manjot Kalra?
Kalra shot to prominence after scoring a century in the 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup final against Australia, helping India lift the title.
He was part of a star-studded squad that included Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Mavi and Riyan Parag.
He joined the ownership group of the Jaffna Kings ahead of the 2026 Lanka Premier League season.
