The Indian cricket board on Saturday slapped heavy punishments on five domestic players caught in a sensational TV sting on IPL spot-fixing.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) handed a life ban to bowler TP Sudhindra, a five-year ban to medium pacer Shalabh Srivastava and one-year bans to Mohnish Mishra, Abhinav Bali and Amit Yadav.The decision to ban the players was taken by the BCCI's disciplinary committee, which acted on an inquiry following the television sting broadcast on May 14.
The BCCI, however, remains mum on the allegations made by some of these cricketers that IPL franchises made payments in black money and that there was corruption in the league.
Sudhindra, the Madhya Pradesh new-ball bowler who narrowly missed out on India A's ongoing tour to the West Indies, was banned for life for "actually receiving a consideration to spot-fix in a domestic match".
His Uttar Pradesh counterpart Srivastava was held guilty of "agreeing to fix a game and negotiate terms for the same, even though no actual match-fixing or spot-fixing took place".
{{/usCountry}}His Uttar Pradesh counterpart Srivastava was held guilty of "agreeing to fix a game and negotiate terms for the same, even though no actual match-fixing or spot-fixing took place".
{{/usCountry}}Mishra (Madhya Pradesh), Yadav (Goa) and Bali (Himachal Pradesh) were suspended for a year each for having "brought the game into disrepute through loose talk and unsubstantiated bragging".
A BCCI statement said Sudhindra and Srivastava would not be entitled to the monthly gratis, benevolent fund, benefit matches or any other facility during the period of their bans. They cannot be associated with any cricket body as an official.
This effectively means the careers of Sudhindra, 28, and Srivastava, 30, are over. Their only hope lies in going to court.
The players were given an opportunity to present their case before the disciplinary committee. An insider said all the players pleaded guilty.