Cricket is called a gentleman’s game, but with the advent of the 20th century, there were many such incidents of match-fixing, which put a black spot on this gentleman’s game. Many players could not return to cricket after being found guilty of fixing, but players like Mohammad Amir also made a great comeback. If there is any close match, then the only thing that comes to everyone’s mind is whether this match was fixed or not.
The ICC has taken many steps to stop match-fixing and made strict laws, yet the incidents of match-fixing are not stopping. Bookies try to contact players in a variety of ways or create a situation so that they can earn as much money as possible. In this episode, let us tell you about some fixing incidents in world cricket which shook the cricket world.
3 such fixing incidents in cricket history, which surprised the fans:
- Hansie Cronje Case
The biggest fixing scandal in the history of world cricket shocked the cricket fans of both India and South Africa. In the year 2000, the Indian Police revealed that five players were involved with the bookie in the fixing of a match of the bilateral series played between India and South Africa. The most shocking thing in all this was that the names of both the team’s captains Mohammad Azharuddin and Hansie Cronje appeared in it.
South African players included Hansie Cronje, Nickel Boze, and Herschel Gibbs. So there, apart from Azharuddin, the names of players like Ajay Jadeja and Manoj Prabhakar came out from India. Mohammad Azharuddin fought a judicial battle for 11 years to get himself cleared of these charges and also got a clean chit from the Supreme Court.
- IPL spot-fixing Sreesanth
Spot-fixing was exposed in the Indian Premier League in 2013. The names of three players of the Rajasthan Royals team, fast bowler Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan, and Ajit Chandila, came up in this. Mumbai Police also arrested Vindu Dara Singh and Gurunath Meiyappan on charges of betting and having links with bookies. After the arrest of all three of their players, Rajasthan Royals terminated their contract with them till the investigation was completed.
Delhi Police claimed that Sreesanth and Chavan have confessed to being involved in spot-fixing. Delhi Police also told that Chandila tried to involve many more players in fixing at the behest of the bookies.
BCCI banned Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan for life. However, later the court lifted Sreesanth’s life ban to just 7 years. Now Sreesanth has returned to the field after the ban.
- Spot-fixing scandal in England Mohammad Amir
The biggest fixing scandal after the Hansie Cronje scandal occurred during Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010. The names of Pakistan’s young fast bowler Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and batsman Salman Butt came into the fixing. A sting operation revealed that Majid had predicted when Asif and Aamir would no-ball.
A video of the sting operation conducted by News of the World revealed that Majid had predicted that the first ball of Amir’s third over would be a no-ball and the same thing happened. Majid had also said that the sixth ball of Mohammad Asif in the 10th over would be a no-ball and this also proved to be true. At the same time, Majid told about an entire over, which revealed the involvement of Salman Butt in it.
After the investigation, the three players were banned by the ICC on 5 February 2011. Butt was banned for 10 years, Asif for 7 years, and Mohammad Amir for 5 years. After the ban, Amir successfully returned to international cricket in 2015, now he is an important part of Pakistan’s cricket team.
