IPL 2017: Top 5 controversies through IPL history

#2 Rajasthan Royals’ players banned for fixing

Sreesanth was one of the players involved in the match-fixing scandal

In IPL 2013, after a match against the Mumbai Indians on May 16, three players from Rajasthan Royals – Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly fulfilling the promises made to bookies which included Sreesanth agreeing to concede 14 runs in an over (in which he ended up conceding 13).

It was alleged that Sreesanth made a signal by asking for a towel before an over, which hinted to the bookies that this was going to be “the” fixed over and he would concede 14 runs in it.

The allegations and arrests led to the Royals suspending all three players and the BCCI setting up an inquiry headed by Mr. Ravi Savani. The matter was probed further and in September 2013, Sreesanth was banned for life by the BCCI along with his teammate Ankeet Chavan. Other players involved in the matter were also punished. Former Royals cricketer Amit Singh got a 5-year ban, and fast bowler Siddharth Trivedi was suspended for one year for failing to report an approach by a bookie.

Cricketers involved in fixing matches was a huge storm that hit the IPL and led to questions being raised on its credibility. The BCCI has since taken strong steps to ensure that the league remains corruption-free but this match-fixing saga surely left a bad taste in the mouths of loyal franchise supporters.