The owner of an Indian club is charged with match-fixing in the Sri Lankan Legends League

According to a Colombo magistrate’s court official, Indian citizen Yoni Patel, who runs a cricket team in the unofficial Legends Cricket League here, and fellow countryman P Akash are expected to be charged with match-fixing.

This came after the court denied Patel’s request for bail last Friday, and the official said that the two-person travel restriction was extended by one month.

The Pallekele international stadium in the central Kandy area hosted the Legends Cricket League from March 8–19. The Indians have been accused of attempting to rig the competition. In the championship match, the Rajasthan Kings emerged victorious against the New York Super Strikers.

In the competition, Patel owns the Kandy Swamp Army squad.

As the investigation moves further, officials claim Akash, the manager of the Punjab Royals, will also face charges.

The Special Investigation Unit of the Ministry of Sports received complaints from former New Zealand player Neil Broom and former Sri Lankan ODI captain Upul Tharanga about Patel and Akash’s attempts to rig games by underperforming in the league. Tharanga is currently the head of the national selectors.

The magistrate’s court then ordered Patel and Akash to stay in the country while the investigations were ongoing.

Neither Sri Lanka Cricket nor the ICC recognize the league.

In 2019, Sri Lanka became the first nation in South Asia to enact legislation against match-fixing and corruption in sports.

Anyone found guilty faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence in addition to penalties.

Additionally, the legislation aims to penalize omissions, such as failing to disclose dishonest practices.