Manjot Kalra, who was a member of the 2018 U19 World Cup-winning squad, along with Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw, has been arrested by Sri Lanka Police over an alleged match-fixing approach made 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, who was a Delhi-based cricketer, scored a match-winning hundred 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 out the untold stories of India’s Best Cricketing Talent.
Manjot Kalra has been in the news due to a 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 & Age-fraud controversy
Manjot Kalra was a member of India’s golden generation in the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, with talents like captain Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, and Shivam Mavi as his teammates. He played a knock of 101 runs off 102 balls, smashing 8 fours and three sixes in the final.
The Southpaw made his T20 debut for Delhi in the 2018–19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in March 2019. He was picked by the Delhi Capitals in 2018, and he was bought by the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). However, he did not feature in any games and was released ahead of the 2020 IPL auction.
Back in 2019, a special investigation unit of the Delhi Police filed charges against Kalra’s parents, as they were alleged to have made false age claims for the cricketer that he had been born in 1999 to allow him to play in junior cricket when he was over age.
After this controversy, he was handed a one-year suspension from playing in the Ranji Trophy due to age fraud. He was later cleared by the Delhi & 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?
Kalra has been arrested at a five-star hotel in Colombo as he was attempting to pay INR 9.5 million (approximately US$28,700) to a player to influence the outcome of a match, as per media reports.
The special unit said the cricketer was reported to have approached them ten days ago, initiating an investigation which resulted in the arrest. Kalra will appear before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court in a few days.
In a statement, the SLC stated that “Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has taken note of the media reports relating to the reported arrest of the owner of the Jaffna Kings franchise by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports.”
“Sri Lanka Cricket, together with the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026, will extend its fullest cooperation to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) for the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports should any assistance be sought in connection with any inquiry arising from the matter.”
“As the governing body of the Lanka Premier League 2026, Sri Lanka Cricket reiterates its unwavering commitment to protecting the integrity of the tournament and will not tolerate any form of corruption, misconduct, or foul play by any stakeholder associated with the league.”