Colombo, April 23:  The cricket team manager of the Legend Cricket League 2024, Yoni Patel has been indicted before the Colombo High Court over match-fixing charges, the Attorney General informed the court. Patel was charged over match-fixing allegations during the Legend Cricket League 2024 on complaints by former New Zealand legend Neil Broom, who represented the team Punjab Royals and Sri Lankan cricketer Upul Tharanga, who represents the Kandy Samp Army team. Virat Kohli's 50th ODI Century Features in ‘Epic Moments of 2023’ at Laureus World Sports Awards 2024.

The two former cricket stars had alleged that they were pressurised into engaging in match-fixing deals by Patel. According to the initial investigations, one of the alleged match-fixers had approached players with offers of money to underperform and fix the result of the matches. When the magisterial inquiry against Yoni Patel was taken up before the Colombo Magistrate on Monday, the State Counsel representing Sri Lanka’s Attorney General informed that an indictment for a criminal trial before the High Court had already been filed.

Earlier, the Colombo Magistrate also issued a travel ban on Patel and another team manager P. Akash of the Legend Cricket League from leaving Sri Lanka. Featuring seven teams comprising retired international cricketers from England, Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand and the West Indies, the Legend Cricket League 2024 was held from March 8 to 19 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in the island’s Central Province Mountains in Kandy. Hanuman Jayanti 2024: Keshav Maharaj Wishes Fans on Occasion of Birth Anniversary of Lord Hanuman, Shares Post on Instagram.

The tournament with seven franchises which were owned by overseas business tycoons had been mooted to rival a Legends championship titled the Road Safety series in India which was given official recognition by the Indian cricket board. The country’s cricket governing body, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was not officially involved in the tournament but only provided the venue for the championship.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 23, 2024 01:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).