IPL Launches Probe After Player Reports Corrupt Approach

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has launched an investigation after one of the players in this year’s tournament in the United Arab Emirates reported being approached for possible corruption, the league’s integrity chief told Reuters on Sunday.

“Yes a player has reported an approach. We are looking into it. No further details can be given at present,” Ajit Singh, head of the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Indian cricket board, said in a text message without identifying the player or the franchise.

Cricketers globally are expected to report any such corrupt approach and failure to do so can result in a ban.

Last year, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan was slapped with a two-year-ban, with one year suspended, by the governing International Cricket Council for his failure to report multiple approaches.

The IPL was rocked by an illegal betting scandal in 2013, which led to two-year suspensions for its Chennai and Rajasthan franchises.

Singh told Reuters in August that hosting this year’s tournament in a bio-secure bubble would make it harder for illegal gambling rings to approach players.

The matches are being played in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah without spectators, and player movements are strictly regulated as part of the league’s COVID-19 protocols.

The eight-team tournament was shifted to UAE as the novel coronavirus continues to surge in India where the death toll crossed 100,000 on Saturday.

Reuters