Match fixing scare in IPL 2025? BCCI issues stern warning to teams, players against ‘dubious’ Hyderabad businessman

As the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) approaches the halfway mark, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued a strong warning regarding potential illegal activities within the tournament. The BCCI recently alerted all IPL stakeholders to a businessman based in Hyderabad who is suspected of attempting to engage in unlawful behavior.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, the BCCI has advised franchises, stakeholders, cricketers, coaches, and support staff to be cautious of any approaches made by the businessman in question. The Anti-Corruption Security Unit (ACSU) has raised concerns about the individual's alleged connections to bookies.

As per the report, "the Anti-Corruption Security Unit (ACSU) seems to believe that a businessman from Hyderabad, with clear links to punters, bookies and past and proven records of involvement in corrupt activities, is trying to befriend participants."

"One of the methods reportedly employed by him involves approaching family members of franchise owners, players, coaches, support staff, and even commentators. He is said to have been offering to take them to jewellery stores and high-end hotels posing as a fan. There are also indications that he may have attempted to contact relatives living abroad, often through social media platforms," the report stated.

In the current cash-rich league, all teams have played at least five matches, and the points table is quite unexpected. The Gujarat Titans have secured the top spot with four wins and two losses, while the five-time champions, Chennai Super Kings, are struggling at the bottom with only two wins.

In its seventeen-year history, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has transformed T20 cricket, establishing itself as the wealthiest T20 league globally and serving as a platform for unearthing hidden talents. However, the league was not immune to controversy, as it faced a significant setback with the spot-fixing scandal that rocked the cricketing world a decade ago.

During the 2013 IPL season, allegations of spot-fixing and betting surfaced, leading to the arrest of Gurunath Meiyappan on the day of the final match between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Meiyappan, a key figure within the Chennai Super Kings group, was accused of involvement in spot-fixing, while Raj Kundra, the owner of Rajasthan Royals, faced similar charges.

In response to these allegations, the Supreme Court of India established a three-member committee, headed by former Chief Justice R M Lodha, to investigate the matter. The Justice Lodha Committee uncovered evidence of match-fixing and betting, resulting in a two-year ban for both Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from the IPL in 2016 and 2017. Additionally, key officials from both teams, including Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra, were handed lifetime bans from all BCCI cricket matches.

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