SL orders seizure of passports of Indian nationals over match-fixing charge

A court in Sri Lanka has ordered Indian nationals Yoni Patel and P Akash to surrender their passports as both are set to be indicted for match fixing in the unsanctioned Legends Cricket League here.

The two, who are currently out on bail, have been accused of trying to fix matches in the league, which was played between March 8 and 19 at Kandy’s Pallekele Stadium.

A side called Rajasthan Kings defeated New York Super Strikers in the final.

Patel owns the Kandy Swamp Army team in the event.

Former Sri Lanka ODI captain Upul Tharanga, who is currently the chairman of national selectors, and ex-New Zealand player Neil Broom had complained to the Special Investigation Unit of the Ministry of Sports about the approaches by Patel and Akash to fix games by under-performing in the league.

Patel and Akash were subsequently banned from leaving the country by the magistrate’s court until the investigations could be completed.

The league is neither recognised by the ICC, nor Sri Lanka Cricket.

Sri Lanka was the first South Asian country to criminalise match-fixing and corruption in sports when it passed a law against the menace in 2019.

Anyone found guilty can be jailed for up to 10 years and also be required to pay fines.

The law also seeks to punish acts of omission such as failure to report corrupt approaches.