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Jaffna Kings have been removed from the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026  after, a big controversy involving former India U-19 opener and franchise co owner Manjot Kalra. The side will not take part in the upcoming season, following the match fixing scandal. Sri Lanka Cricket along with the Innovative Production Group (IPG) said on Thursday that the franchise’s participation rights were officially canceled.

Manjot Kalra was arrested by Sri Lanka Police after, he was allegedly seen approaching a player with a match fixing offer. The former India U-19 World Cup winning batter reportedly tried to persuade the player into manipulating matches. Police took Kalra into custody while he was, according to reports, attempting to pay INR 9.5 million (roughly US$28,700) to the player.

A special government investigation unit made the arrest after getting a complaint that Kalra had contacted the player about 10 days earlier. That report triggered an inquiry and, eventually, led to the arrest. Kalra then appeared before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court where he was remanded in custody until July 31.

Kalra ended up as a co owner of the Jaffna Kings before the LPL 2026 season actually started. This whole incident feels like it is another big setback in his career, and honestly it kind of stacks on top of the earlier trouble. Previously he had been tangled in an age fraud controversy, which left him out of cricket for several months, and it also cut short his bright playing career , way sooner than anyone expected.

Also, the franchise ended not just because of the on field stuff, but because it did not meet the financial commitments linked to the franchise agreement. When Kalra was under arrest and the other co owner could not be reached, IPG stepped in and took back the rights to the Jaffna Kings franchise. After that, Sri Lanka Cricket together with IPG will now manage the franchise and keep operating it for now, until any further instruction or notice.

Anil Mohan stated: "While this was a difficult decision, our priority has always been to protect the integrity of the Lanka Premier League and ensure complete stability for our players, coaches, partners, and fans. Together with Sri Lanka Cricket, we have acted swiftly to ensure the Jaffna Kings continue to participate in the tournament without disruption. We want to assure everyone that all operational matters, including player contracts, staff commitments, and team logistics, are being managed seamlessly."

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Even with all of this happening, LPL Tournament Director Anil Mohan said the tournament schedule and fixtures will stay as they are, no changes in the calendar, no reshuffling either. He reassured fans that the league is going ahead as planned and that the organisers remain focused on putting together a successful season, despite the noise around the franchise.

Jaffna Kings have managed to win two of their first three matches this season, and now they’re stepping out for their fourth game tonight versus the Galle Titans. They basically need to chase 194 runs, for a third win, and that should also help in strengthening their outlook toward finishing in the top two. Also, the franchise is a four time champion of the Lanka Premier League, so yeah they’ve done this kind of thing before.