2 bookies approach India's women's team bowler, BCCI's Anti-Corruption Unit swings into action

Known to be the first time, a woman cricketer was approached by two bookies with offers of huge amounts of money for match-fixing.

The Anti-Corruption Unit of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday approached the Bengaluru city police after the revelation was made. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) has taken up the case and initiated the probe.

According to police sources, the bowler was said to be training at the National Cricket Academy at the time when she was approached by two individuals identified as Rakesh Bafna and Jithendra Kothari in February this year, ahead of the India-England limited-overs series. 

The sources said that Kothari - who claimed to be sports manager from Delhi - first got in touch with the cricketer through Instagram and offered her managerial services which she declined. 

Kothari even went on to courier her a copy of a contract, which she did not sign. Later in February this year, Kothari again contacted the player and put her across to Bafna claiming that he had a business offer. 

Bafna allegedly sought to use the cricketer to rope in other Indian players. The bowler immediately brought the matter to the notice of BCCI.

ACU chief Ajit Singh told TOI that they were waiting for a report from the International Cricket Council which said there was indeed such an attempt. Singh said Kothari had portrayed himself as a manager to several women cricketers but it was the first time that he approached the player to fix matches.