In organized sports, match-fixing is the act of playing or officiating a match to achieve a predetermined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. There are many reasons why match-fixing might take place, including receiving bribes from bookmakers or sports bettors, and blackmail. Competitors may also intentionally perform poorly to gain a future advantage, such as a better draft pick or to face an easier opponent in a later round of competition. Here you present the list of match-fixing scandals in cricket, which tainted the gentleman’s game thoroughly.
10. Maurice Odumbe
Maurice Odumbe was one of the leading players for Kenya during the 1996 cricket world cup. He won the title of man of the match during Kenya's famous victory over west indies. In 2004, following suspicions of match-fixing, the ICC investigated and found Odumbe guilty of taking bribes. As a result, he has received a ban for 5 years. Many believed that the ban would end the career of Maurice Odumbe, but he promised to return from the pits of one of the greatest match-fixing scandals of all time.
9. Marlon Samuels
Marlon Samuels was a part of the west indies cricket team when they won both the ICC T20 WC (2012 & 2016). But before that, in the year 2008, he was suspected of handling information on team tactics and moves to a bookie ahead of the West Indies and India match in Nagpur in 2007. Though Samuels maintained his innocence, recorded tapes of telephone conversations were evidence enough for a two-year ban on Samuels. Following his brief banned period, Marlon Samuels returned to the field and
built a high-flying career for himself.
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8. The no-ball scandal
In 2010, Pakistan played a test match against England at Lords. 5 no-balls were bowled by the Pakistani pacers two by amir and 1 by his pace partner Mohammed Asif. Pakistan's captain Salman butt had orchestrated the deliberate no-balls in return for money offered by undercover journalist Mazhar Majeed posing as a bookmaker. The trio were handed severe punishment. Even though Amir returned to cricketing action after 5 years, a stain has forever etched on his name.
7. Shane Warne & Mark waugh
In 1994-95 an Indian bookie John received insights regarding weather and pitch from Australian cricketers Mark Waugh and Shane Warne in exchange for money. This was the greatest match-fixing scandal of the 1990s and as a matter of fact, the Australian Cricket Board initially was very eager to brush the case under carpet. In 1998 when the matter came to light both Warne and Waugh defended saying that they never revealed strategic material.
6. Salim Malik
He was the captain of the Pakistan cricket team. He was revered as the glorious cricketer in the 80s and 90s. But it stayed until his involvement in the greatest match-fixing scandals came to light. He became the first cricketer of the 21st century who has received a ban for match Fixing. He played on the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe. During that your he received a ban while captaining. Authorities accused him of taking bribes but he came off clean and continued playing. After playing over 100 Test matches, Malik’s career came to a halt. Authorities found him guilty of Match Fixing Scandals In Cricket and he subsequently received a ban for life.
5. Mohammed Azharuddin
Mohammed Azharuddin was one of the best batsmen for India and an accomplished captain of the Indian cricket team throughout the 90s, his career got destroyed because of the match-fixing scandal in 2000. He was accused of a match-fixing scandal. Hansie Cronje, a South African player accused of Match Fixing Scandals In Cricket. When confessing his misdeeds, he informed investigators that Azhar introduced him to bookies. Consequently, the police found him guilty of fixing 3 ODIs. ICC and the BCCI then banned him for life.
4. Indian cricketer's match-fixing controversy in 2000
The biggest expose about match-fixing happened in Indian cricket when Manoj Prabhakar turned into a whistleblower and brought many names into the scandal. Jadeja accused a certain teammate had tried to bribe him with Rs 25 lakh. He tried to give money to Manoj for underperforming in a match against Pakistan in 1994. Investigations found that it was Kapil Dev towards whom Prabhakar was pointing his finger. In 2000, after officers had raided households of prominent players and cricket officials, Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma faced a complete ban. Police also accused Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Jadeja, and Ajay Sharma of their connections with bookies.
3. IPL fixing controversy
The greatest cricket league in the world, IPL was also not spared from the clutches of spot-fixing. The spot-fixing scandal happened in the IPL in the year 2013. During this scandal players like S Sreesanth, and Ajit chandila were handed life bans from the IPL governing councils. Apart from that, a detailed investigation happened once again after the 2015 edition of the IPL. During that investigation, it was revealed that principal co-owners of both Chennai super kings and Rajasthan Royals were guilty of the betting. Both Sreesanth and Chandila were banned from cricketing activities, whereas CSK and RR were banned from the league for 2 years(2016 & 2017).
2. Sandpaper gate (2018)
In 2018, a ball-tampering scandal surfaced in the Australian cricket team. The incident happened during the third match against South Africa in Cape Town. Cameron Bancroft, the Australian player, was caught by TV cameras attempting to harsh up one side of the ball with sandpaper to create it to swing in flight. Immediately after the incident got televised, Steve Smith and David Warner, the captain and vice-captain of the team stepped down from their post. Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann said that he would step down from his position taking full responsibility. Smith and Warner were given a 1-year ban. Cameron Bancroft was prohibited for 9 months. Both Smith and Warner were also banned from being the captain of Australia forever. This incident tarnished the image of cricket in Australia forever.
1. Hansie Cronje
One of the biggest match-fixing scandals in cricket occurred in the year 2000 that shocked the International Cricket fraternity. Hansie Cronje was the main man behind this scandal. Delhi police revealed that they have recorded the conversation between Hansie Cronje and bookie Sanjay Chawla. He was loved by his fans as he was a successful cricketer but he became controversial after his involvement with sanjay chawla.Initially, Cronje denied all charges of match-fixing but later during cross-examination, he broke down. In the end, Hansie Cronje faced a complete ban from cricket for a lifetime. And in 2002, he died of a plane crash giving rise to theories that someone actually murdered Cronje.
