The Special Investigation Unit for Preventing Sports-Related Offences of the Sri Lanka Police, affiliated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, has initiated an investigation into allegations of match-fixing at the ongoing Legends T20 Tournament, as per informed sources.
It was reported that former Sri Lanka captain and current Chairman of the Selection Committee, Upul Tharanga, along with former New Zealand player Neil Broom, allegedly received offers to manipulate certain games in the tournament.
Both Tharanga and Broom reportedly lodged complaints with the Special Investigation Unit and also informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit about the offers.
Furthermore, it has been revealed that Indians Yoni Patel and Pachalodiya Akash, functioning as manager and assistant of a team in the Legends T20 Tournament held at Pallekele, approached Tharanga and Broom to influence specific matches.
As a result of these developments, Patel and Akash have been restrained from leaving the country through a travel injunction issued by the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.
The ongoing investigation by the Special Investigation Unit has also expanded to ascertain whether other players participating in the Legends T20 Tournament have been approached with offers to fix matches.
