Manjot Kalra, who was a member of the 2018 U19 World Cup-winning team along with Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, has been arrested by the Sri Lankan Police for alleged match-fixing approaches to a player.
He is also the co-owner of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) franchise Jaffna Kings. Kalra was arrested on Thursday night, just before the opening match of the 2026 LPL season.
Who is Manjot Kalra and why is he in the news?
Manjot Kalra, a Delhi cricketer, scored a match-winning century and was the man of the match in the final of the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Kalra later opened a podcast named Second Innings with Manjot Kalra; It was an initiative to bring to light the untold stories of India’s best cricket talent.
Manjot Kalra has been in the news due to the match fixing incident, as he was trying to influence the player. He was announced as a member of the ownership team of the Jaffna Kings franchise ahead of the 2026 LPL season.
Manjot Kalra’s U-19 World Cup heroics, domestic cricket, IPL journey and age-fraud controversy
Manjot Kalra was a member of India’s golden generation at the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, alongside talents like captain Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Mavi. In the final, he scored 101 runs in 102 balls with the help of 8 fours and three sixes.
The southpaw made his T20 debut for Delhi in the 2018–19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in March 2019. He was selected by Delhi Capitals in 2018, and was bought by Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). However, he did not feature in any games and was released ahead of the 2020 IPL auction.
In 2019, a Special Investigation Unit of Delhi Police had filed charges against Kalra’s parents after they were accused of making false age claims for the cricketer that he was born in 1999 so that he could be allowed to play junior cricket when he was older.
Following this controversy, he was suspended from playing in Ranji Trophy for one year due to age fraud. He was later cleared by the Delhi and District Cricket Association under a new ombudsman, who overturned the decision, and he was able to play again.
Why was Manjot Kalra arrested in Sri Lanka?
According to media reports, Kalra has been arrested in a five-star hotel in Colombo as he was attempting to pay Rs 9.5 million (about US$28,700) to a player to influence the outcome of a match.
The special unit said the cricketer had contacted them ten days ago and initiated an investigation which resulted in the arrest. Kalra will appear before the Colombo Magistrate Court in a few days.
In a statement, the SLC said that “Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has taken note of media reports relating to the alleged arrest of the owner of the Jaffna Kings franchise by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for the prevention of sports-related crimes.”
“Sri Lanka Cricket, along with the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026, will extend its full cooperation to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) for the prevention of sports-related crimes should any assistance be sought in connection with any investigation arising from this matter.”
“As the governing body of the Lanka Premier League 2026, Sri Lanka Cricket reiterates its unwavering commitment to safeguard the integrity of the tournament and will not tolerate any form of corruption, misconduct or dishonesty by any stakeholder associated with the league.”