NEW DELHI: Former India Under-19 World Cup winning star Manjot Kalra will remain in custody in Sri Lanka after a Colombo court rejected his application for anticipatory bail in connection with an alleged match-fixing case linked to the ongoing 2026 Lanka Premier League (LPL).Kalra, who shot to fame with his match-winning century in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup final, and fellow Indian national Yuvraj Pushpa had approached the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court seeking relief after being remanded till July 31 following their arrests earlier this month. However, Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama dismissed the application, allowing the existing stay order to continue as investigators pursue the high-profile corruption probe.
Court rejects medical grounds for bail
According to PTI, defense lawyer KWS Fernando sought discharge of the two accused on medical grounds, telling the court that Kalra and Pushpa were ill.The prosecution objected to the argument, arguing that the investigation carried out by the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the Sri Lanka Police for the Prevention of Sports-Related Offenses was still ongoing. Accepting the prosecution’s submissions, the magistrate refused to grant bail, ensuring that the two accused remain in custody until at least July 31.The latest sentence marks another setback for Kalra, who has been at the center of one of the biggest controversies to hit the sixth edition of the Lanka Premier League.
Allegations of match-fixing expand as more players join the complaint
The case stems from allegations that attempts were made to influence players participating in LPL 2026 to manipulate matches.Sri Lankan internationals Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Avishka Fernando and Dunith Wellalage initially lodged complaints with investigators. During Monday’s hearing, the court was informed that two other Sri Lankan cricketers have joined the complaint, bringing the total number of players involved in the case to five.Investigators had earlier informed the court that several players were allegedly approached with proposals related to match-fixing. According to submissions made during the initial detention process, the players alerted the Sports Corruption Investigation Unit and continued to communicate with the suspects under the instructions of the investigator.Authorities also said they have recorded phone conversations and video evidence related to the alleged approaches. However, Kalra’s defense has denied all the allegations, maintaining that there is no evidence to show that he offered or paid a bribe.After his arrest, Kalra had released a statement stating that he was fully cooperating with investigators and remained confident that the facts would establish his innocence.
Jaffna Kings the property is closed amid an ongoing investigation
The controversy also triggered significant developments off the field.Last week, the commercial rights holder of the Lankan Premier League, Innovative Production Group (IPG), in consultation with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), terminated the franchise agreement with Sports Commune, the ownership group behind Jaffna Kings, citing its failure to meet its financial obligations.Kalra had become a co-owner of the franchise with entrepreneur Mayank Goel. Upon termination, IPG and Sri Lanka Cricket will assume full financial and operational control of the franchise to ensure that the tournament continues without interruption.The organizers of the tournament have confirmed that Jaffna Kings will continue under the same name, with no changes to their team, score or coaching staff. They also reiterated that the ongoing investigation involving Kalra would not affect the conduct of the tournament.The Lanka Premier League 2026, with five franchises in 24 matches, started on July 17 and is scheduled to conclude on August 8. While the tournament continues on the field, Kalra’s immediate future now depends on the outcome of the ongoing investigation, with his suspension to continue until July 31.