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The Lanka Premier League (LPL) has terminated the Dambulla Thunders franchise with immediate effe ct following the arrest of team owner Tamim Rahman in Colombo on Wednesday. Rahman was arrested under the 2019 Prevention of Offences Relating to Sports Act, which relates to corruption.
Sri Lanka police arrested Rahman, a British national of Bangladeshi origin, before boarding a flight to Colombo. The law under which Rahman was arrested was worked on, in part, by the ICC's anti-corruption unit. This shocking incident also took place a day after the LPL auction for the 2024 season, leaving the entire league in shambles.
SLC terminate Dambulla Thunders following owner's match-fixing case
Sri Lanka Cricket released a strong-worded statement regarding the statement which said, "While the specifics of the charges against Mr Rahman remain unclear, the integrity and smooth functioning of the Lanka Premier League are of utmost importance."
"This termination aims to uphold the values and reputation of the LPL, ensuring that all participants adhere to the highest standards of conduct and sportsmanship. The LPL management is working diligently to address the consequences of this termination and to ensure minimal disruption to the upcoming season," the statement continued.
In the recent LPL auction, Thunders retained many players from Dambulla Aura and added the Afghanistan duo of Karim Janat and Hazratullah Zazai. Janat earned the highest bid among the new overseas signings as he went for $80,000.
Thunders also added a few prominent overseas cricketers like Mustafizur Rahman, Ibrahim Zadran and Iftikhar Ahmed. Talking about the Sri Lanka internationals, Dambulla includes Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Thushara, Akila Dananjaya, Danushka Gunathilaka, Nuwan Pradeep and others.
