Lanka Premier League Franchise Saved After Sri Lanka Cricket Reverses Termination Decision
On Thursday, Sri Lanka Cricket said its T20 league is going to be held as planned with its full roster of matches and feature all five teams, a day after announcing that the Dambulla Thunders franchise would be terminated due to its owner Tamim Rahman’s arrest on suspicion of match-fixing. The cricket board announced that the franchise will have a new owner and that the tournament will be held as planned from July 1 to 21. A release said, “The Lanka Premiership League season 5 will continue with its full schedule and roster of matches featuring five teams.”
It added that SLC was in the final stages of confirming new ownership.
“We assure all players, fans, and stakeholders that the league’s integrity and the spirit of cricket will be preserved throughout the tournament.”
Rahman, a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin, was arrested by immigration officials at the city’s Bandaranaike International Airport following a court order. The Dambulla franchise was bought by Imperial Sports Group, led by Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, in April. However, the exact charges against Rahman are not yet clear.