Former India Under-19 World Cup hero Manjot Kalra has been arrested in Sri Lanka over an alleged attempt to fix a Lanka Premier League (LPL) match by bribing a player. The arrest was made on Thursday night, just hours before the start of the 2026 LPL season. Police allege Kalra attempted to pay Rs. 9.5 million (around ₹27 lakh/US$28,700) to influence the outcome of a match.
According to Sri Lanka Police, the player reported the alleged approach nearly 10 days ago, triggering an investigation that led to Kalra's arrest at a five-star hotel in Colombo. He is expected to be produced before the Colombo Magistrate's Court as investigations continue. Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the player involved.
Kalra was a key member of India's victorious 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup squad led by Prithvi Shaw. He etched his name into the record books by scoring an unbeaten century in the final against Australia, with teammates including Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Mavi. He was also part of the Delhi Daredevils set up in the IPL.
Ahead of the 2026 LPL season, he had also been announced as part of the ownership group of the Jaffna Kings franchise.
Following the arrest, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) confirmed that the Lanka Premier League would begin as scheduled at the SSC Grounds in Colombo. The board reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and said it would fully cooperate with the SIU throughout the investigation. SLC also highlighted that its Anti-Corruption Unit and independent integrity partner, Integrity Mentors, are actively working to safeguard the tournament.
