The Lanka Premier League (LPL), on Wednesday (May 22), announced the termination of Dambulla Thunders from the league, with immediate effect.
The LPL has taken a big step after Dambulla Thunders owner Tamim Rahman was arrested by officials in Sri Lanka for his alleged involvement in match-fixing and betting. According to media reports, he was arrested under the Prevention of Sports Related Crimes Act 2019, which relates to corruption in sports.
He was detained by immigration officials at Colombo airport before boarding the flight. Rahman, a British national of Bangladeshi origin, is the chief executive of Imperial Sports Group, which bought the Dambulla-based franchise in April this year.
“The Lanka Premier League (LPL) announces the termination of the Dambulla Thunders franchise, with immediate effect. This decision follows recent developments regarding the ownership of the franchise and the legal issues faced by Tamim Rahman, founder of Imperial Sports Group” . Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement.
While the details of the charges against Rahman remain unclear, the integrity and smooth functioning of the Lanka Premier League is of paramount importance. “This termination is intended to uphold the values and reputation of the LPL, ensuring that all participants adhere to the highest standards of conduct and sportsmanship.” he added.
The Lanka Premier League (LPL) announces the termination of the Dambulla Thunders franchise, with immediate effect. This decision follows recent developments regarding the ownership of the franchise and the legal issues faced by Tamim Rahman, founder of Imperial Sports Group.…
– Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) METERtoand 22, 2024
The LPL will continue as planned even after the dismissal of Dambulla Thunders:
The termination of Dambulla Thunders will not affect the scheduling of the fifth edition of the LPL. Galle Marvels and Dambulla Thunders are the two new teams the LPL added ahead of the next season. An LPL official has said that organizers will ensure that Dambulla Thunders participate in the tournament even if they fail to find new owners.
“The LPL will go ahead as planned, we will manage the team if we cannot find an owner in time for the LPL. In the past, we managed two teams and we are prepared to take a financial hit.” an LPL official told Cricbuzz.
The Dambulla-based team has signed players like Mustafizur Rahman, Dilshan Madushanka, Nuwan Untilhara, Akila Dananjaya, Danushka Gunathilaka, Nuwan Pradeep, Ibrahim Zadran, Hazratullah Zazai, Karim Janat and Iftikhar Ahmed for the upcoming edition of the LPL.
A total of five teams will participate in LPL 2024, which will be played from July 1 to 21. Apart from Dambulla and Galle, B-Love Kandy, Colombo Strikers and Jaffna Kings will also participate in the tournament.
