Former India U-19 World Cup winner Manjot Kalra arrested in Lanka Premier League bribery case

Former India Under-19 cricketer Manjot Kalra, who became famous for scoring a century in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup final, was arrested in Sri Lanka on Friday over allegations of trying to bribe players during the Lanka Premier League (LPL). Kalra, now a co-owner of the Jaffna Kings franchise, was taken into custody by the Police Special Investigation Unit for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports just hours before the tournament’s opening match.

The 27-year-old had moved from professional cricket into sports management and joined the Jaffna Kings ownership group before the 2026 season.

Sri Lankan investigators claim Kalra approached players around 10 days ago and allegedly offered them money in connection with the tournament. The complaint was reportedly filed by Sri Lankan internationals Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Avishka Fernando and Dunith Wellalage, all members of the Jaffna Kings squad.

According to Sri Lankan police, Kalra was arrested at a hotel in Colombo while allegedly preparing to hand over 9.5 million Sri Lankan rupees (around USD 28,700) to a player.

Officials said the player informed investigators after the first approach, leading to an investigation that resulted in Friday’s arrest. Kalra was later produced before a magistrate.

LPL faces another corruption controversy

Kalra’s arrest has overshadowed the start of the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League, which began on Friday with Jaffna Kings taking on Galle Gallants at the SSC Grounds in Colombo. The five-team tournament consists of 24 matches and will run until Aug 8.

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The incident is another setback for the LPL, which has faced corruption-related issues in recent years. Earlier this year, Dambulla Thunders owner Tamim Rahman was given a four-year suspended prison sentence after admitting to trying to influence a player and arrange betting activities. He was also fined 24 million Sri Lankan rupees under the country’s anti-corruption laws.

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Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) acknowledged Kalra’s arrest in an official statement and repeated its “zero-tolerance” policy towards corruption and unethical conduct. The board said it would fully cooperate with investigators if needed and confirmed that the tournament would continue as planned.

Kalra is still remembered by Indian cricket fans for his unbeaten 101 against Australia in the final of the 2018 Under-19 World Cup, which helped India win the title under Prithvi Shaw’s captaincy. Eight years later, the former opener is now at the centre of one of the biggest controversies in the history of the Lanka Premier League.