A recent inquiry found that numerous teams and individuals were implicated in match-fixing during the previous edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The revelations call into doubt the league’s ethics and governance.
According to Prothom Alo, the BPL investigating committee documented 36 strange events during the previous season.
These events included unusual batting and bowling patterns. The examination identified 10-12 cricketers, including two current Bangladesh internationals, a pacer and an off-spinner. Several domestic players were also caught intentionally bowling wide and throwing dubious balls to influence match results.
The study classified players based on the gravity of the evidence against them. Three to four participants were designated as ‘highly flagged’, with solid evidence linking them directly to corrupt actions. Others were labelled as’medium’ or ‘low flagged’, indicating that there was some suspicion but not enough to prove guilt clearly. Notably, one of the accused players was a member of Bangladesh’s recent Sri Lanka trip group, raising worries about possible hazards to the national team.
The majority of the implicated cricketers are over 35, making it unlikely that they would return to international cricket. Nonetheless, the allegations have thrown a lasting shadow on their careers. The list also includes a member of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) subcommittee who was discovered to have facilitated negotiations with teams implicated in fixing. Officials from Durbar Rajshahi, Sylhet Strikers, and Dhaka Capitals acknowledged to manipulating matches.
The probe is expected to suggest that all implicated players, team officials, and managers be disqualified from playing cricket until they can prove their innocence. The investigation also included broadcast partners, with some TV channels allegedly showing betting-related commercials and generating between 170-180 crore taka illegally from such promotions. These disclosures have sparked a big scandal in Bangladesh cricket, focussing attention on league administration and the steps necessary to restore public faith.
India
