Sri Lanka Court Sentences Indian National to Hard Labour for Cricket Match-Fixing

An Indian national, Yogi Patel, has been sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment by the high court in Matale, Sri Lanka, for his involvement in a 2024 cricket match-fixing case.

Patel was charged following a complaint by Upul Tharanga, chairman of Sri Lanka’s selection committee, who alleged that he attempted to fix matches in the Legends League T20 tournament held in Kandy.

Despite a court-imposed travel ban, Patel fled the country and was tried in absentia. He was initially arrested in March last year but was later released on bail in May under strict conditions.

Sri Lankan authorities have been cracking down on corruption in cricket, with this sentencing serving as a strong warning against match-fixing in the sport.