It's a sad time for cricket, say celebs

Mumbai, May 24 (IANS): If some are “heartbroken”, others are disappointed with the sport getting tainted — Bollywood celebrities are candidly expressing their discontent over spot-fixing that has cast a shadow over the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).

Three Rajasthan Royal players, including India pacer S. Sreesanth, have been arrested by Delhi Police in connection with spot-fixing. Later Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh Randhawa was arrested by the Mumbai police in connection with the scam busted May 16.

“I am heartbroken because I have watched the IPL and I am a very big Mumbai Indians fan. I am heartbroken and I don’t think I am in a position to comment. I just feel sport should not get tainted by such things. It’s very sad,” film director Nikhil Advani told reporters Thursday when asked about the spot-fixing scandal.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the first-look launch of his directorial venture “D-Day”. It stars Arjun Rampal and Irrfan.

When asked, Arjun said: “It’s disgusting… cricket is like a religion to our country and when corruption comes out so openly, you feel so disappointed that cricket has to go through that for money. It’s a sad time for cricket.”

Irrfan, who was with Arjun and Advani at the event, said that for him “it was not a surprise as you can make out things are corrupt”.

The IPL final is on May 26.