OTD: IPL Spot-Fixing Scandal Rocked World Cricket, Delhi Police Arrests 3 Indian Players

On the night of May 15, 2013, the world of cricket changed forever when the fabric of the most popular and followed T20 leagues in the world – Indian Premier League (IPL) got strained due to the spot-fixing scandal. Just hours after an exciting encounter between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, a Delhi Police team sent by then Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar, carried out arrests of bookies and three cricketers with regard to a spot-fixing case. Three Rajasthan Royals cricketers – S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were the guilty ones who were arrested by Delhi Police on the corruption charges.

The involvement of Sreesanth, an already established India international became the top headline in almost every national daily the very next day. Along with him, life took a different turn for a young & talented Mumbai lad Ankeet and skillful bowler Chandila. The three accused cricketers were suspended with immediate effect while the IPL season continued.

The controversy further blew up with the name of Gurunath Meiyappan, Team Principal of Chennai Super Kings and son-in-law of BCCI president N Srinivasan also surfaced on account of cheating and fraud. Media and everyone created pressure on Srinivasan to quit but he refused. Meanwhile, BCCI secretary, treasurer and IPL chairman had already resigned from their posts.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) set up an inquiry committee to look into the mess.

In other big revelations, Delhi Police confirmed the involvement of Rajasthan Royals owner Raj Kundra who had confessed to betting on IPL matches.

Sreesanth, the two-time World Cup winner, was handed over a life-time ban by BCCI. His father blamed India captain MS Dhoni and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh behind his son’s arrest.

“They are trying to ruin my son. From the beginning, Dhoni & him have been close and knew many intimate details.

“Dhoni is trying to take revenge against him for this. My son has played well for India. They are trying to end his career,” his father said, without explicitly saying what it had to do with this case.

“Dhoni had threatened him that he would never be taken back in the Test side,” he added.