A co-owner of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Jaffna Kings has been arrested by the Special Investigation Unit of the Sri Lanka Police for the prevention of sports-related crimes. The arrest came hours before the official launch of the 2026 Lanka Premier League on Friday.
Due to this arrest, clouds of crisis are looming over the upcoming Lanka Premier League season. Police detained the owner of Jaffna Kings as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged sports corruption and match-fixing. Officials said the investigation is ongoing and more information is expected soon.
LPL team owner arrested; Sri Lanka enforces strict anti-corruption sports law
According to a news wire report, police confirmed that the arrest was made ahead of the official launch of the 2026 Lanka Premier League. Officials said the investigation is ongoing and more information will be released as the investigation progresses.
Sri Lanka has some of the strictest anti-corruption laws in the world under the Prevention of Sports-Related Offenses Act. This law criminalizes match-fixing, spot-fixing and all other forms of corruption related to professional sports.
Under the law, anyone found guilty of sports corruption can face heavy financial penalties and lengthy prison terms. This law reflects Sri Lanka’s strong commitment to protecting the integrity of cricket and other professional sporting competitions.
Who is the owner of Jaffna Kings?
The Jaffna Kings franchise is currently owned by Sports Commune, a sports management company led by Indian entrepreneurs Manjot Kalra and Mayank Goyal. He took over ownership of the franchise ahead of the LPL 2026 season.
Kalra is best known for his unbeaten century in the 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup final, which helped India win the title. After retiring from professional cricket he went into sports management. Goyal is the founder of SoftSecure Infotech and Shree Dhyan Insurance Brokers.
Franchises have changed hands several times in the LPL. It started as Jaffna Stallions in 2020 before being rebranded as Jaffna Kings under the Lyca Group under the leadership of Alliraja Subaskaran. Sri Lanka Cricket ended the ownership of Lyca Group in April 2025 after it reportedly failed to meet its franchise obligations.
LPL is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 17
The Lanka Premier League will begin on Thursday, July 17 with a grand opening ceremony before the tournament kicks off at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo. The sixth edition of Sri Lanka’s T20 league will feature five franchises, top local stars and a number of foreign players in a three-week competition.
The opening ceremony includes live musical performances, team introductions, the official trophy unveiling and a spectacular 500-drone light show. The organizers aim to give the tournament a memorable start before the opening matches begin in the evening.
The gates of the SSC will open to fans at 5:00 pm (local), while the opening ceremony is scheduled to begin at 6:15 pm. Notably, the first match of the season will start at 7:45 PM. The tournament will run till August 8, with franchises competing for the LPL 2026 title.
Also read: Luke Ronchi will leave the post of New Zealand coach after the India series, will join Melbourne Renegades.