Galle Marvels owner willing to confess on match-fixing charges
The owner of the Galle Marvels, one of the six teams competing in the inaugural Lanka T10 Super League in Pallekele, has expressed his willingness to confess to match-fixing allegations. Prem Thakkar, the franchise owner, was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on Friday following his arrest by Sri Lanka’s Sports Ministry’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU) under the Prevention of Offences Related to Sports Act.
Thakkar, an Indian national, was remanded until Monday after being presented before Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawela. The arrest was initiated after West Indies international Andre Fletcher filed a formal complaint, accusing Thakkar of offering match-fixing deals. Fletcher alleged that Thakkar offered him USD 15,000 to deliberately lose a match and USD 30,000 to allow a ‘nominated bowler’ to participate under questionable circumstances. Additionally, Fletcher claimed that he was offered the captaincy of Galle Marvels as part of the deal.
Prem Thakkar being taken tio the remand - Pix by Akila Jayawardana
With Fletcher’s evidence submitted to the Anti-Corruption Unit of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Thakkar was taken into custody on Thursday. In court, Thakkar’s attorney, Kalinga Indatissa PC, informed the Additional Magistrate that his client is prepared to confess to the charges. The court has scheduled the next hearing for Monday, December 16, during which Thakkar is expected to make a formal confession.
Despite the controversy, T-Ten Global, the rights holder of the Lanka T10 Super League, has confirmed that the tournament will proceed as planned. Galle Marvels’ skipper Maheesh Theekshana and senior player Bhanuka Rajapaksa had inquired about their team’s future in light of the developments.
The tournament organisers have assured that players from the franchise have already received 35% of their contracted payments, with an additional 35% to be disbursed within seven days and the remaining 30% scheduled for payment after the competition concludes on December 19.
Sri Lanka, which became the first country to criminalise corruption in sports, has seen a rise in match-fixing controversies in recent years. During the previous edition of the Lanka Premier League (LPL), Dambulla Thunders’ owner Tamim Rahman was arrested on similar charges. On the same day, Viranjith Thambugala, Chairman of Aura Lanka and a previous owner of the Dambulla franchise, was apprehended over allegations of financial fraud.
In a separate incident, two individuals associated with the Legend Cricket League—a seven-team unsanctioned T20 tournament held in Pallekele in March 2023—were arrested for attempting to coerce former players, including Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga and New Zealand’s Neil Broom, into match-fixing.
With anti-corruption measures under heightened scrutiny, the arrest of Thakkar serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by cricket authorities in maintaining the integrity of the sport.