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New Owners For Dambulla? LPL In 'Final Stage' Of Confirming Ahead Of 2024 Season Amid Fixing Scandal

Dambulla Thunders co-owner Tamim Rahman arrested (x)Dambulla Thunders co-owner Tamim Rahman arrested (x)

Lanka Premier League (LPL) organisers have announced they are 'in the final stages of confirming the new ownership' for the Dambulla franchise followed the arrest of Dambulla Thunders co-owner Tamim Rahman, a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin. 

Rahman was arrested on suspicion of match-fixing on May 22, 2024.  An official from the Special Investigation Unit for the Prevention of Offenses Relating to Sports confirmed his arrest and the Colombo Magistrate’s Court has remanded him to custody until May 31.


New Ownership For Dambulla Franchise

Tamim Rahman was investigated under two provisions of Sri Lanka’s sports act related to match-fixing and attempting to place bets. Despite this setback, the LPL is set to proceed as planned with its full schedule and roster of matches, maintaining its five-team format. 

The new owners of the Dambulla franchise are expected to inherit the roster that was filled out during the recent player auction, alongside the rosters of the other four teams.

"IPG has always upheld the highest standards of propriety and integrity as the Event Rights Partner of the Lanka Premier League. Our dedication to maintaining these standards remains unwavering. We assure all players, fans, and stakeholders that the league's integrity and the spirit of cricket will be preserved throughout the tournament," IPG said. 

Four years after the LPL began amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Matheesha Pathirana set a new record and grabbed the limelight by becoming the most expensive player in the tournament's history. 

He commanded a price tag of USD 120,000 and will be playing for his old team, Colombo Strikers, in the 2024 edition of the LPL.

The first edition of the tournament was planned to be held in 2018, but due to political and administrative reasons, it was postponed till 2020. The Jaffna Kings who were formerly known as Jaffna Stallions have been the dominating force in the league. They won the first three seasons of the tournament back to back.

The tournament will run from July 1 to July 21, with matches taking place in Pallekele, Dambulla, and Colombo.