NEW DELHI: Cricket’s Indian Premier League was thrown into turmoil Tuesday when a Supreme Court-appointed panel suspended two of the eight teams after officials were found guilty of illegally betting on matches.
Chennai Super Kings, led by India’s one-day international captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Rajasthan Royals, skippered by star Australian batsman Steve Smith, had been hoping to escape with heavy fines.
But a tribunal led by former chief justice Rajendra Mal Lodha announced they would be banned from the next two editions of the annual six-week tournament to protect “the integrity of the game.”
Gurunath Meiyappan — the son-in-law of Narayanaswami Srinivasan, the Chennai franchise owner and the current boss of the International Cricket Council — was banned for life from cricket-related activities.
A similar punishment was handed down to Raj Kundra, co-owner of the Rajasthan team and husband of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.
“Their conduct has affected the image of the game, the players and others associated with the tournament,” Lodha told reporters while revealing his three-member panel’s verdict in the capital New Delhi.
Asked about the financial losses of players from the two teams, Lodha said: “We did not consider financial losses to players and teams. That is not significant. The integrity of the game is what matters.”
The outcome could have major financial consequences for the glitzy Twenty20 league which draws some of the biggest names in world cricket and raises questions over the future of the two franchises which are both former champions.
It was not immediately clear whether the two franchises can be sold, thus allowing the cricketers to continue to be part of the IPL.
There was also no immediate reaction from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“Huge injury has been caused to the image of cricket which is a passion for millions of people,” Lodha said.
“They (Meiyappan and and Kundra) have brought the game to disrepute.
“The purity of the game has been affected. Fans feel cheated and doubts abound if the IPL is clean.”
Lodha was appointed head of the sentencing panel in January after the Supreme Court had found Kundra and Meiyappan guilty of betting on the outcome of matches in 2013.
“Meiyappan was an integral part of the team,” said Lodha. “By regularly placing bets he acted in gross violations of the rules of the game. He suffered a loss of 60,000,00 rupees ($94,560) in bets.”
The hugely popular Chennai Super Kings are the most successful team in the IPL, having won the tournament in 2010 and 2011. They finished runners-up in 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2015.
Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural event in 2008 under the captaincy of Australian spin legend Shane Warne, but have failed to make the final since then.
The 2013 IPL season was mired in controversy after police launched legal proceedings against several officials and three Rajasthan Royals players, including former Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, for illegal betting and spot-fixing.
The IPL, which is broadcast around the world, is hugely popular in India with its mix of sport and showbiz, with a number of teams fronted by big Bollywood names.
But it has been continuously dogged by corruption allegations and on Monday Hiken Shah, a first-class player from Mumbai, was suspended over an approach he made to an unnamed team-mate before this year’s tournament in April-May.
International news organizations including Agence France-Presse have suspended on-field coverage of matches hosted by the BCCI since 2012 after the board imposed restrictions on picture agencies.
Indian Premier League in crisis as teams banned in betting scandal
Indian Premier League in crisis as teams banned in betting scandal
Multan to host back-to-back cricket Tests between Pakistan and West Indies next month
- Multan has been the only option for Pakistan to host matches, with stadiums in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi being upgraded for Champions Trophy
- It will be West Indies’ first Test series in Pakistan for more than 18 years, although both nations played a Test series in the United Arab Emirates
ISLAMABAD: Multan will host back-to-back Tests when Pakistan plays the West Indies next month, the domestic cricket board said on Tuesday.
With stadiums in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi being upgraded for February’s Champions Trophy, it has left the Pakistan Cricket Board with Multan as the only option to host the two-Test series against the West Indies.
England also played back-to-back Tests in Multan in October because of the renovation work in Karachi and Lahore.
The West Indies squad arrives on Jan. 6 and will play a three-day warm-up game in Rawalpindi against Pakistan Shaheens. The first Test is held from Jan. 17-21 and the second starts on Jan. 25.
It will be West Indies’ first Test series in Pakistan for more than 18 years, although both nations played a Test series in the United Arab Emirates in 2016 when UAE was Pakistan’s home venue.
West Indies named uncapped batter Amir Jangoo in its 15-strong squad after he smashed a century on his ODI debut against Bangladesh earlier this month.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie returns to the fold after missing the two Tests against Bangladesh last month because he was playing in the inaugural Global Super League.
Kevin Sinclair and Jomel Warrican are the other spin options in the squad.
West Indies is without fast bowler Shamar Joseph, who is suffering from shin splints. Alzarri Joseph is also unavailable because of his commitments with International League T20 in the UAE.
“Motie rejoins the squad to bolster the spin attack, while Jangoo’s selection comes on the back of his consistency across formats in regional cricket, as well as his demonstrated high level of competency against spin bowling,” head coach Andre Coley said.
The series is part of the World Test Championship. Pakistan is seventh in the standings while rock-bottom West Indies is ninth.
West Indies squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Joshua Da Silva, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Amir Jangoo, Mikyle Louis, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican.
South Africa opt for all-pace attack in first Test against Pakistan
- The two-match series is crucial for South Africa, who will qualify for next year’s World Test Championship final if they win one of the matches
- Pakistan have only won two out of 15 Tests in South Africa but they will go into the series on the back of a convincing 3-0 one-day series win
CENTURION: South African captain Temba Bavuma on Tuesday announced an all-pace attack for the first Test against Pakistan starting at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.
The two-match series is crucial for South Africa, who will qualify for next year’s World Test Championship final if they win one of the matches.
“We back our seamers at Centurion,” Bavuma said at his pre-match press conference.
Fast bowler Corbin Bosch will make his debut for a team missing several leading pace bowlers because of injury. He plays for the Titans provincial team whose home ground is at Centurion.
Bosch, 30, is the son of the late Tertius Bosch, who played in South Africa’s first post-isolation Test, against the West Indies in Barbados in 1992.
“He will be playing at the venue where he has made a name for himself in the provincial set-up,” said Bavuma. “He adds that element of extra pace. He’s a big, strong guy who hits the deck hard and he offers a role with the bat as well.”
Bosch bowled at more than 140kmh (87mph) when he made his one-day international debut against Pakistan in Johannesburg on Sunday and hit 40 not out as a lower-order batsman.
Bavuma said his players were aware of the significance of being on the verge of reaching the world championship final.
“We know what’s at stake. There’s confidence and belief because of the good cricket we have played over the last while. Nothing has happened by accident.”
South Africa’s progress in the Test championship final has come despite Cricket South Africa’s deliberate downgrading of Test cricket to accommodate a high-profile Twenty20 franchise series.
South Africa’s schedule of 12 Tests — all in two-match series — is the joint lowest with Bangladesh in the championship cycle. England have played 22 matches, while Australia and India will have played 19 each when they complete their fixtures.
The system of average points has propelled South Africa to the top of the table despite virtually forfeiting a series in New Zealand when coach Shukri Conrad was prevented from selecting any players contracted to the SA20 league.
South Africa did not play against Australia or England and their only series against one of the “big three” Test nations was a tied one against India.
Pakistan have only won two out of 15 Tests in South Africa but will go into the series on the back of a convincing 3-0 one-day series win. Seven of the Pakistan squad and eight of the South African Test team players were involved in the one-day games.
Teams:
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson.
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.
ICC Champions Trophy schedule announced, matches split between Pakistan and Dubai
- The tournament is set to begin on 19 February in Karachi, with Pakistan taking on New Zealand
- ICC says Lahore will host the final match of the cricket contest on 9 March, unless India qualify
ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place from February 19 to March 9, with matches hosted across Pakistan and Dubai in a hybrid model.
The tournament’s structure follows a compromise decision after India refused to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns. Exercising its rights as the host nation, Pakistan designated Dubai as the neutral venue for India’s matches, ensuring all teams’ participation.
“The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 fixtures and groupings have been announced by the ICC ... with the tournament set to begin on 19 February in Karachi with the final on 9 March,” the global governing body of cricket announced in a statement on its website.
“The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches, and will be played across Pakistan and in Dubai,” it added. “Lahore will also host the final on 9 March, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai. Both the semifinals and the final will have reserve days.”
In Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host three group-stage games each. Lahore is also set to host the second semifinal.
Meanwhile, Dubai will host all three of India’s group matches and the first semifinal, should India qualify.
The tournament opener on February 19 will feature Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi, while India will face Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
This will be the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy and its return after an eight-year hiatus, the last tournament having taken place in England in 2017. The event will feature the top eight teams in world cricket competing for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.
The hybrid model, while a logistical challenge, aims to strike a balance between accommodating geopolitical realities and ensuring the integrity of the tournament, which cricket fans worldwide await.
West Indies cricket team to arrive for first Test tour of Pakistan in 19 years on Jan. 6
- West Indies to play two Test matches against Pakistan in Multan from Jan. 17-29, says PCB
- West Indies last toured Pakistan for a Test series in November 2006 for three-match series
ISLAMABAD: The West Indian national men’s cricket team will arrive for their first Test tour of Pakistan in 19 years on Jan. 6, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Tuesday, during which they will play two Test matches.
The last time the West Indies played a Test series on Pakistani soil was in November 2006, when they played three Tests. Their last Test away Test series against Pakistan was in the UAE in October 2016, which was selected as Pakistan’s home venue for cricket series after 2009 when a militant attack in Lahore scared away international cricket teams from touring the country.
The former two-time ODI World Cup champions have, however, thrice toured Pakistan since April 2018— one for an ODI series in June 2022 and twice for a bilateral T20I series in April 2018 and December 2021.
“The West Indies cricket team will arrive in Islamabad on 6 January and after playing a three-day match against Pakistan Shaheens from 10-12 January at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, they will take on Pakistan in back-to-back Tests in Multan,” the PCB said. “The first Test will be played from 17-21 January, while the second Test will be held from 25-29 January.”
International cricket teams refused to play cricket in Pakistan for years after militants attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore in 2009, wounding six players and killing two civilians and six security officials.
International cricket and its stars, however, slowly returned to playing in the country as the security situation in Pakistan gradually improved. The South Asian country is gearing up to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from February to March next year.
This will be the first time that Pakistan will be hosting an ICC tournament on its home soil since 1996 when it co-hosted the ICC ODI World Cup won by Sri Lanka.
Inter beat Como to keep in touch with leaders Atalanta
- Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, slipped a spot to 16th and sit just one point clear of the relegation zone
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan saw off Como 2-0 on Monday to stretch their unbeaten run in Serie A to 11 games and move back to within three points of leaders Atalanta.
Defender Carlos Augusto headed in from a corner early in the second half before Marcus Thuram wrapped up a fourth successive league win with a thumping finish in stoppage time.
Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a crucial save on the hour to deny Nico Paz an equalizer as Simone Inzaghi’s side showed signs of weariness at the San Siro in what was their third outing in a week.
Thuram’s goal was his 12th of the season and sent him level with Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui for the league lead.
“Marcus is a high-class player who always trains well and has adapted very quickly to the way we play,” said Inzaghi.
“You have to congratulate Como for coming here and giving it their all, but we stayed focused and showed great maturity.”
Third-placed Inter are a point behind Napoli but have played a game less than the top two teams after their match with Fiorentina was called off at the start of December following Edoardo Bove’s sudden collapse.
Reigning champions Inter visit lowly Cagliari this weekend and could put the pressure back on Atalanta, who are away to Lazio in the late game on Saturday.
Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, slipped a spot to 16th and sit just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Fiorentina lost more ground in the title race after falling to a 2-1 home defeat by Udinese.
Moise Kean’s early penalty gave Fiorentina the lead as they sought to shake off last weekend’s loss to Bologna that snapped the club’s eight-match winning streak in Serie A.
However, Udinese equalized shortly after half-time through Lorenzo Lucca and former France international Florian Thauvin curled in the winner from outside the area.
“The most important thing for me is not the goal but the victory. These are three important points against a very strong team,” said Udinese captain Thauvin.
Udinese stayed ninth and are eight points off the European places.
