Indian cricket board (BCCI) officials are incensed over an Australian newspaper’s report quoting unnamed Indian Premier League officials as saying a “leading batsman manipulated” matches in the last season of the cash-rich League.
"Allegations surrounding corruption in cricket continue to widen, with IPL officials claiming a leading batsman had to be moved up the order to prevent him manipulating matches,” The Australian said in a report on Tuesday.
“Two IPL officials from India independently verified a leading batsman had played so suspiciously they could not explain his behaviour. When The Australian asked direct questions about the batsman, both officials agreed his performances were highly suspect. They did not want him named for fear that it could be traced back to them and lead to retribution in India.”
While speculation carried on through Tuesday about the identity of this alleged batsman, top BCCI officials called the report “pure kite-flying”.
"As far as the IPL is concerned, we have never come across any such incident,” Niranjan Shah, the IPL’s vice-chairman, told Hindustan Times.
BCCI spokesman Rajiv Shukla said the “IPL was clean” and the Board had received no report to the contrary from the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.
{{/usCountry}}BCCI spokesman Rajiv Shukla said the “IPL was clean” and the Board had received no report to the contrary from the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.
{{/usCountry}}