IPL Back in Controversies: Spot-Fixing and Sahara's Withdrawal

Bangalore: The IPL seems to be marred with never ending controversies. The resurface of spot-fixing in this year’s IPL goes beyond just shocking. The gentleman’s game is no more a ‘gentleman’s game’ as it has constantly been caught in cases of match fixing and other scandalous activities that has taken a toll on the game.

The Special Cell of Delhi police had arrested Indian pacer Sreesanth, his Rajasthan Royals teammates - Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - and Jiju on May 15 night for allegedly indulging in spot-fixing in at least three IPL matches. The tainted trio, along with ten bookies, was arrested from Mumbai and sent to five-day judicial custody.

As if this wasn’t enough, the scandal-hit Indian Premier League suffered another blow with the Sahara Group-owned Pune Warriors withdrawing from the event due to the BCCI's lackadaisical arbitration proceedings to lower the franchise fee and its decision to encash the team's bank guarantee.

Sahara, which bought the franchise for Rs 1700 crore in 2010, said it was "disgusted" by the BCCI's attitude towards it and will not rejoin the league even if the entire franchise fee was waved off. "...we would not keep the IPL franchisee even if the entire franchisee fee is waved off. It is firm and final decision of Sahara to withdraw from IPL," the Sahara Group said in a detailed statement. "In 2010, Sahara had bid 1700 crore for IPL franchise on the basis of revenue calculation on 94 matches.

(With agency inputs)

Also Read: 8 IPL Controversies That Raised Eyebrows