CHENNAI: Adding to the IPL action this season, a TV channel on Monday claimed to have conducted a sting operation that exposes “murky deals” among players, organisers and team-owners in the lucrative tournament. The channel, India TV, alleges that many players have confessed on hidden camera that they receive much more – by way of under-the-table payment – than what is actually bid for them at IPL auctions.
The channel also claims that spot-fixing exists in the IPL, first-class matches are fixed, and women are used to rig matches. Big names in Indian cricket and an international player, who is captain of an IPL team, are involved in fixing, alleges the channel.
In response, the BCCI has said that stringent action will be taken if the channel’s claim is found to be true. BCCI chief N Srinivasan says: “We need to have the tape; the moment we see it, whoever be the player, we will take strict action.”
The channel claims that cricketers in rival teams have jointly fixed the outcome of matches – a particular bowler offering deliveries easy to hit and fielders dropping catches even as the ‘partner in crime’ in the opposition goes on a scoring spree.