Jaffna Kings’ owners, Sports Commune, have been terminated by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the Lanka Premier League (LPL) rights holders, Innovative Production Group (IPG), in the first few days of the 2026 season.
The termination notice, issued on July 23, 2026, came after co-owner, Manjot Kalra, who was once an Indian Under-19 World Cup centurion, was arrested for match fixing, right before the start of the league. SLC and IPG have taken control of the four-time champions.
It’s not a simple change in the administration of the team. The Jaffna Kings are by far the most successful franchise in the history of LPL, having four titles in six seasons. Thus, the mid-season fall of one of the owners of the franchise is a huge blow to the integrity of the competition.
Sports Commune Loses Jaffna Kings Franchise Over Financial Obligations
SLC and IPG formally terminated the franchise agreement with Sports Commune, which was the company owning the Jaffna Kings, on July 23.
According to IPG, the termination came following the failure of the franchisee to fulfill its financial obligation in accordance with the terms of the franchise agreement. IPG retains all rights in connection with the franchise after the termination.
Why Jaffna Kings Co-Owner Manjot Kalra Was Arrested
Just days ahead of the ban, Kalra of Sports Commune, who co-owned the franchise, was arrested on July 17 by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) of Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports. According to official press releases from the SIU, Kalra was arrested during a sting operation for planning to deliver LKR 9.5 million (approximately $28,700) as a down payment toward a higher amount with the intention of fixing the match results. This was reported to be ten days ago by one of the players. (Source: ESPNcricinfo)
Another unidentified individual was also arrested with Kalra, and Kalra was put into judicial custody until July 31. Kalra claims he was doing things in good faith as he had purchased shares of the league.
Jaffna Kings Sponsorship Payments Collapse Amid Ownership Crisis
Apart from this, there was chaos in the financial situation of the franchise. In the arrangement made by Sports Commune, sponsors used to give money to the owners, who were supposed to distribute this money as salary among the players and other staff members.
With the arrest of Kalra, all these processes came to an end. Things got so worse that players from Jaffna were seen covering up the logos of sponsors on their jerseys before playing against Colombo Kaps on July 22. (Source: The Statesman)
Jaffna Kings Ownership Changes: Key Updates at a Glance
IPG and SLC have taken over every player, coaching, and support-staff contract to keep the team running smoothly.
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| New operational control | SLC & IPG (joint) |
| Terminated owner | Sports Commune (Manjot Kalra & Mayank Goel) |
| Reason given | Failure to meet financial obligations |
| Player/staff payments cleared | 90% already paid |
| Squad, name, fixtures | Unchanged for LPL 2026 |
| Kalra’s custody status | Remanded till July 31, 2026 |
Anil Mohan, CEO of IPG, says that protecting the integrity of the tournament and ensuring stability for players, coaches, and sponsors were the key considerations in their decision, stating that the sixth season of the LPL will proceed as planned.
Jaffna Kings Ownership History: From Lyca Group to Sports Commune
This is actually the second time in two years that Jaffna Kings have lost their owners mid-cycle:
- 2020–2025: Owned by Lyca Group (team renamed Jaffna Stallions to Jaffna Kings in 2021)
- April 2025: Lyca Group terminated by SLC for failing to meet owner obligations
- 2026: Sports Commune (Kalra & Goel) took over ahead of the season
- July 2026: Sports Commune terminated too
Jaffna aren’t alone Colombo’s franchise has changed hands four times since the league began.
Sri Lanka’s 2019 Sports Act Makes Match-Fixing a Criminal Offence
The practice of match-fixing and failure to report approaches related to corruption is illegal according to the Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act, 2019.
It seems that this is not the first time for the team to be involved in such practices. The owner of Dambulla Thunders Tamim Rahman was found guilty and Prem Thakkur from Galle Marvels was imprisoned in 2024.
Jaffna Kings’ LPL 2026 Campaign Continues Without Changes
Nothing changes on the ground either; Bhanuka Rajapaksa is still captain, and the same team that began the year losing by 36 runs against Galle Gallants remains together. Jaffna have won the league championship in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024; the only time they lost was in 2023, and not even once.
