Cricket once again tainted, this team's owner accused of fixing
Former Sri Lankan white ball captain and current chairman of the cricket selection committee, Tharanga had complained about match-fixing along with former New Zealand cricketer Neil Broom, who played for Punjab Royals. The complaint said that he was contacted by two persons who identified themselves as the owner of the Kandy Samp team and the manager of Punjab Royals.
Sri Lanka's Attorney General has informed the court that Yoni Patel, owner of Kandy Samp Army, one of the seven teams playing in the Legends Cricket Trophy, has been charged with match-fixing. The government lawyer representing the Attorney General informed the Colombo Magistrate on Monday that Yoni Patel has been charged with the offence in the Colombo High Court.
He has been accused of pressurizing a cricketer to get involved in fixing during the Legends Cricket Trophy played with the participation of a large number of retired international stars at Pallekele in the Central Hills in Sri Lanka. The investigation was initiated on a complaint by retired Sri Lankan national cricketer Upul Tharanga, who himself plays for a team owned by Patel.
Former Sri Lankan white ball captain and current chairman of the cricket selection committee, Tharanga had complained about match-fixing along with former New Zealand cricketer Neil Broom, who played for Punjab Royals. The complaint said that he was contacted by two persons who identified themselves as the owner of the Kandy Samp team and the manager of Punjab Royals.
According to a preliminary investigation, one of the alleged match-fixers had offered money to players to perform poorly and fix match results. Tharanga then immediately complained to the Special Investigation Unit of the Sri Lankan Sports Ministry, set up to prevent sports-related corruption, while Broom reported to New Zealand Cricket and later to the ICC.
After Broom faced more than ten balls, the team manager called him into his room, according to the SIU investigation, and instructed him to score fewer than ten runs. Patel was released on bail after a preliminary investigation for ten million Sri Lankan rupees, but he is not allowed to leave the country.
The Pallekele International Cricket Stadium hosted the Legends Cricket Trophy 2024, which took place from March 8–19, 2024. The tournament featured seven teams comprised of retired international cricket players from England, Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Jamaica.
