SRI LANKA POLICE have arrested a former Indian cricketer and co-owner of LPL franchise Jaffna Kings on suspicion of attempting to bribe players, hours before the tournament was due to begin on July 17, 2026.
According to police, a player had alerted authorities when first approached about 10 days earlier, with two other players also reportedly approached.
Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed the Lanka Premier League will proceed as scheduled, with the sixth edition’s opening match between Jaffna and Galle on Friday night in Colombo.
The board stated, “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.”
Previous LPL editions have also been marred by corruption allegations. In January, a British owner of an LPL team was handed a four-year suspended sentence for match-fixing. Bangladesh-born Tamim Rahman, owner of Dambulla Thunders, admitted to attempting to influence a player and organise betting, receiving a four-year suspended jail term and a fine of ₹24 million under Sri Lanka’s 2019 anti-corruption in sports law.
