Sri Lanka Cricket announced on Thursday that the Lanka Premier League will continue with its complete roster of matches and include all five teams, a day after declaring that LPL’s Dambulla Thunders franchise will be terminated owing to its owner Tamim Rahman’s arrest on suspicion of match-fixing.
SLC confirmed that the franchise will have a new owner, and the tournament will go as planned from July 1 to July 21.
“The Lanka premiership league season 5 will continue with its full schedule and roster of matches featuring five teams,” an SLC release stated. It further stated that SLC was in the final stages of confirming new ownership. “We assure that all players fans and stakeholders that the league’s integrity and the spirit of cricket will be preserved throughout the tournament.”
Dambulla Thunders owner Rahman, a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin, was arrested by immigration officials at the Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport following a court order.
An official from the Special Investigation Unit for the Prevention of Offenses Relating to Sports at the Sports Ministry confirmed the arrest of the individual, PTI reported. The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has remanded Rahman to custody until May 31.
“While the specifics of the charges against Mr. Rahman remain unclear, the integrity and smooth functioning of the Lanka Premier League are of utmost importance,” SLC stated on Wednesday. Rahman was being investigated under two provisions of the country’s sports act related to match-fixing and attempting to place bets.
Reacting to the development, LPL rights holder IPG group chairman Anil Mohan had said, “We are committed to the highest standards of transparency and professionalism and will continue to support all our teams, players, and fans during this transition.”
Recently, a court in Sri Lanka ordered Indian nationals Yoni Patel and P Akash to surrender their passports as both are set to be indicted for match-fixing in the unsanctioned Legends Cricket League in Colombo.
