Until 1994, the idea of fixing a cricket match was unimaginable for most fans.
The turning point came during Australia's tour of Pakistan that year.
Australian cricketers Shane Warne, Tim May, and Mark Waugh reported that Pakistani cricketer Salim Malik had approached them with an offer of $276,000 (₹2 crores) to deliberately lose a match. Malik reportedly pleaded, “Our houses will be burned if we lose.”
The players informed their captain, Mark Taylor, and coach, Bob Simpson. Malik’s offer was included in Shane Warne’s documentary, where he recounted the incident: “He offered us money to throw the match. It was a betrayal of the game.”
The uproar that followed led to a commission headed by Justice Fakruddin and Justice Malik Mohammed Qayyum in Pakistan. The inquiry concluded with a lifetime ban for Malik, making him the first cricketer to face such punishment. Another legendary cricketer, Wasim Akram, was implicated, but insufficient evidence saved him from similar consequences otherwise Wasim Akram wasn't innocent either.
The Indian cricket scene was rocked in 1997 when Manoj Prabhakar alleged that he had been offered ₹25 lakhs to underperform during the 1994 Singer Cup in Sri Lanka. The accused? None other than Kapil Dev, hailed as India’s Michael Jordan.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) launched an inquiry under Justice Y.V. Chandrachur. The investigation, culminating in October 1997, became known as the Chandrachur Report. While the report acknowledged corruption within the game, it failed to conclusively identify the perpetrators. Fans were left disillusioned as allegations remained unresolved.
One of cricket’s darkest chapters unfolded during South Africa’s tour of India in 2000. On February 19, 2000, the first Test began at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. By March 19, the series concluded with two Tests and five ODIs. But behind the scenes, a sinister conspiracy was brewing.
As the series commenced, the Indian police uncovered a link to the underworld through a man named Salim Hateli, a known associate of Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel. Salim was engaged in extortion activities, including demanding bribes from prominent businessmen such as the owners of Apollo Tyres and Khanna Jewelers. However, these businessmen reported Salim’s activities to the police, setting off a chain of events that would expose an international match-fixing scandal.
The police began monitoring Salim Hateli’s phone calls, suspecting connections to the underworld. During the surveillance, they discovered that Salim was using a BSNL phone number previously linked to Krishn Kumar, the brother of T-Series’ founder, Gulshan Kumar, whose murder had underworld connections.
The investigation intensified when Sanjeev Chawla, a London-based bookie and close associate of Krishn Kumar, entered the picture. Sanjeev Chawla stayed at the same hotel as the South African cricket team, further raising suspicions.
As the police monitored calls, they noticed that Sanjeev Chawla and South African captain Hansie Cronje were frequently discussing match-related details. Initially, the constables dismissed the conversations as harmless cricket chatter. However, one constable recognized Cronje’s voice from a live commentary segment during a match. This revelation prompted the police to analyze match footage and recorded phone conversations, confirming that the discussions between Chawla and Cronje directly correlated with match outcomes.
By March 14, 2000, the police had gathered substantial evidence. Phone recordings revealed Cronje discussing team strategies and outcomes with Chawla, including specific predictions such Henzi Kronze said that don't worry, Niky, Herschelle Gibbs and Peter will not make more than 20 runs. while another conversation assured that India would not exceed 250 runs if they batted first. Each prediction materialized during the matches, further substantiating the claims. These predictions matched the actual outcomes, leaving no doubt about the involvement of Cronje and other players, including Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje.
Despite having damning evidence, the Delhi Police decided to wait until the series concluded to avoid disrupting international relations between India and South Africa. However, this delay allowed Sanjeev Chawla to flee to London. Although he was extradited to India in 2020,
On March 19, 2000, the Delhi Police held a press conference, revealing the scandal to the world. On April 8, 2000, the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) issued a statement denying the allegations against Cronje. However, under mounting pressure and irrefutable evidence, Cronje eventually confessed to his involvement in match-fixing, admitting to accepting bribes in exchange for influencing match outcomes.
Hansie Cronje’s confession was a pivotal moment in cricket history. On June 15, 2000, he revealed that he had been introduced to bookmakers by Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin. Cronje admitted to accepting $30,000 to lose matches and provide insider information. His tearful apology, captured in court proceedings and media reports, exposed the vulnerability of cricket to corruption.
and the investigation brought for first time, MK Gupta (Mukesh Gupta) was introduced to the public. MK Gupta, an employee of a bank, had become a central figure in the web of match-fixing. According to Kronze, Gupta had given him $30,000 and instructed him to lose a match, while also paying $50,000 to share critical information about the game,
The matter escalated quickly and was transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Initially, MK Gupta went underground, attempting to evade arrest, but it wasn’t long before he was apprehended. When the CBI began their questioning, Gupta was reluctant to reveal any details, fearing for his life. But the pressure of the investigation soon made him crack, and he began to divulge the entire sordid tale, which unfolded in shocking detail.
MK Gupta’s story was one of transition from a humble bank employee to a significant player in the world of match-fixing. His journey began as a "punter" (a term for individuals who bet on matches) in 1988, making small bets during local matches. But Gupta’s talent did not go unnoticed. Soon, he was recruited by the underworld for a more complex task: identifying talented players in local tournaments and getting close to them, so that the underworld could exploit them in future fixing schemes.
It was during this period that Gupta became acquainted with Ajay Sharma, a young, talented cricketer from a poor family. Sharma’s potential caught Gupta’s eye during the Ramcharan Agarwal Tournament in 1988. Gupta befriended him and began offering financial assistance. Two years later, in 1990, Sharma was selected for the Indian cricket team. At that point, Gupta’s connections began to bear fruit. Sharma began passing on crucial information about India’s matches, and the two began to profit from fixing.
Gupta’s manipulation extended beyond just Sharma. In 1992, during India’s series against Australia, Gupta implicated other players, including Manoj Prabhakar. According to CBI reports, Prabhakar, who was roommates with Ajay Sharma during the New Zealand tour, began sharing information with Gupta as well. This web of corruption continued to grow, and the rot spread throughout the Indian cricket team.
One of the most significant revelations during this period was about the 1994 Singer Cup, a triangular series featuring India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. The CBI’s inquiry into the matter uncovered a stunning offer made by Kapil Dev to lose a match in exchange for a 25-lakh-rupee bribe. This discovery further solidified the extent of the corruption plaguing Indian cricket.
The timeline of Gupta’s involvement in fixing matches continued to unravel with even darker revelations. The CBI’s inquiry into the 1991 Delhi-Bombay Ranji Trophy quarter-final exposed how Delhi had deliberately lost the match. Ajay Sharma, once again involved, had facilitated the fix, making it easier for the betting syndicates to control the outcome.
As the CBI probe deepened, further details emerged, including a meeting arranged by Ajay Sharma between MK Gupta and Mohammad Azharuddin in the Taj Palace Hotel in Delhi. According to the investigation, Azharuddin, desperate for funds to help his girlfriend's fashion show, had agreed to a massive deal to fix matches. In exchange for information on specific matches such as the India-Pakistan , ind - aus match in the Titan Cup Azharuddin was promised a payment of 50 lakh rupees upfront and another 50 lakh after the match. The deal was sealed, and the fix was in.
However, when the India-aus match began, things didn’t go according to plan. Azharuddin, who had been expected to deliberately underperform, was dismissed for just one run. Meanwhile, Ajay Jadeja was run out, and the match appeared to follow the script. But then, something extraordinary happened. Sachin Tendulkar, India’s cricketing icon, defied the odds and single handedly led India to victory, ruining the match-fixers’ plans.
The CBI even summoned Tendulkar for questioning, where he confirmed that Azharuddin was not playing his best, but others like Prabhakar and Mongia had been playing sluggishly without explanation. Tendulkar’s revelations sparked anger within the team, particularly after the match, when he reportedly stopped speaking to Prabhakar and Mongia.
The CBI continued its probe, and their investigation led to a breakthrough. Azharuddin was eventually called in for questioning. Initially denying his involvement, Azharuddin soon caved under pressure, especially after the CBI presented evidence of his financial dealings. The investigation revealed that Azharuddin had been in constant contact with Gupta and others involved in the fixing. The CBI also uncovered his phone records, which showed numerous calls to those implicated in the scandal.
The Return of the Fixing after 13 years :
After years of silence on the fixing front, the year 2013 saw the resurfacing of one of the most infamous match-fixing syndicates in cricket. It all began with a disturbing report from the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) in January 2013. The CBI had charged 42 individuals in connection with anti-India activities, many of whom were Pakistani nationals. Among them were notorious underworld figures like Dawood Ibrahim and his associate, Chota Shakeel, who had long been linked to match-fixing scandals.
As the investigation progressed, authorities discovered a series of phone numbers tied to international betting syndicates. One number, originating from Pakistan (+9233332064488), and another from Dubai (+971561363786), were tapped by special cells under the CBI’s watch. In February 2013, as they listened to the intercepted calls, the shocking discovery was made: Ashwini Agarwal, also known in the underworld as Tinku Mandi, was involved in the betting network. His conversations revealed that he was in contact with two prominent fixers, Sunil Bhatia and Kiran Dhole. The network they were running reached deep into the IPL, and the conversations soon revealed the name of Rajasthan IPL player Ajit Chandila, who was implicated in the match-fixing scandal. Further investigations revealed that Jiju Janardhan, a fixer from Kerala, was also involved. He, in turn, had close ties with Sreesanth, the Indian cricketer who would later become one of the key players in the scandal. What began as a simple investigation into anti-national activities soon spiraled into a massive match-fixing operation, one that would change the landscape of Indian cricket forever.
As the police continued to monitor the conversations, the intricate nature of the fixing network was exposed. In early May 2013, during a match between Rajasthan Royals and Pune Warriors in Jaipur, Ajit Chandila was caught on tape agreeing to give away 14 runs in his second-last over. However, the first attempt failed as he forgot to give the signal. The fixers were unhappy, and their disappointment was recorded in the following phone call, where they demanded the money back due to the failure of the fix.
Days later, on May 9, 2013, another crucial call was intercepted between Jiju Janardhan and Sreesanth, where the plan was laid out for the upcoming match between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab. Jiju instructed Sreesanth to give away more runs in his second-last over and to signal his intentions by applying a towel and lengthening his over. The instructions were clear, and Sreesanth followed through the very next day, ensuring that the fix went as planned. What the fixers did not anticipate was that Ajit Chandila had learned from his earlier mistake and gave the signal correctly this time.
The series of intercepted calls and signals escalated until May 15, 2013, when the fixers thought they were in control. But this time, things took a different turn. As the match ended, Delhi police, who had been closely monitoring the situation, launched a series of raids. They arrested key players involved in the scandal, including Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, and Ankeet Chauhan. The police found 72,000 rupees in cash, data cards, and even Sreesanth’s handwritten diary in his hotel room, confirming the match-fixing operation.
As the players were arrested, the Rajasthan Royals management was informed, and the shocking news reached the media. A press conference was held to inform the public, with the team officials revealing the names of the accused players. However, the scandal did not end there. While Delhi police received praise for their swift action, Mumbai police faced immense criticism for their failure to notice the signs of match-fixing, especially considering the number of players involved in the IPL. In the midst of the arrests, the investigation took an even darker turn. The name of Asad Rauf, a Pakistani umpire, surfaced. He was allegedly involved in the fixing operation, with ties to Gurunath Meiyappan, a key figure in the Chennai Super Kings team and the son-in-law of the BCCI chairman N. Srinivasan. On May 24, 2013, Meiyappan was arrested after evading authorities for weeks.
As the investigation continued, the web of corruption grew more intricate. On June 1, 2013, another phone number, +923332064488, traced back to Dawood Ibrahim, the notorious underworld kingpin, was intercepted. This revelation solidified the belief that the entire match-fixing operation was being orchestrated from Pakistan, with the involvement of several international bookies and underworld figures. The involvement of figures like Javed, Chutani, and Salman all connected to the underworld painted a grim picture of how deep the corruption had seeped into the sport.
By July 2013, Delhi Police had enough evidence to file a charge sheet. The charge sheet included telephone intercepts, voice samples, forensic reports, and confessional statements from the accused. The Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) confirmed the involvement of Dawood Ibrahim, with the report detailing the conversations between bookies, cricketers, and underworld figures. The charge sheet made it clear that the entire match-fixing operation was not just limited to a few players but was an organized network that spanned across India and beyond.
As the captain of CSK and one of the most respected players in Indian cricket, Dhoni’s connections to the scandal were questioned when allegations surfaced regarding his relationship with Meiyappan.
Dhoni, when asked about his relationship with Gurunath Meiyappan, defended him publicly, stating that Meiyappan was not involved in team sessions or any cricket-related strategy. Dhoni’s defense was clear but, as the investigation unfolded, it became evident that this was far from the full truth. The deeper links between Meiyappan and Dhoni soon began to surface, painting a more complex picture.
It was revealed that Vindoo Randhawa, a Bollywood actor with a connection to the underworld and the IPL's spot-fixing syndicate, was a good friend of Sakshi Dhoni, MS Dhoni’s wife. Vindoo, who was arrested in connection with the scandal, had indirect ties with Dhoni, which cast doubts on the captain’s claims of ignorance. While Dhoni's public persona remained untarnished, his indirect connections to figures embroiled in the scandal raised suspicions about his involvement or at the very least, his awareness of the events unfolding behind the scenes.
Further allegations surfaced when Lalit Modi, the founder of the IPL, made serious claims in a recent interview regarding N. Srinivasan, the chairman of the BCCI and owner of CSK. Modi revealed that Srinivasan was determined to acquire Andrew Flintoff at any cost during the IPL auction, and that the auction was rigged to ensure Flintoff was placed in the CSK squad. Modi boldly admitted, "Yes, we did it [bid rigging]. Every franchise knew about it. We told everybody not to bid for Flintoff because Srinivasan wanted him. He was being a thorn because he didn't like IPL and thought it would fail."
Moreover, Modi accused Srinivasan of manipulating the integrity of the IPL by changing umpires for CSK matches to favor his team. "He started changing the umpires and putting CSK umpires on CSK games. It was an issue for me. That's direct fixing. When I started exposing him, he went against me," Modi revealed in the interview. These revelations cast a dark shadow over the operations of the IPL and the people in charge of its governance.
While MS Dhoni had indirect connections to the figures at the heart of the controversy, he chose to remain silent on the matter, despite being fully aware of the goings-on. His refusal to speak out, combined with his close relationship with Meiyappan and the questionable actions of the CSK franchise, made it difficult for the public to ignore the role he may have played in turning a blind eye to the corrupt practices within the league.
The case that CBI made didn’t stand in court because there is no proper law regarding this in India. According to the report submitted, 4 cases could be made: Public Gambling Act 1867 for cheating, Section 120A IPC for criminal conspiracy, Section 415 IPC for cheating, and Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 for corruption. But none of these acts applied they weren’t cheating or committing any criminal conspiracy. It wasn’t easy to prove cheating in court. The Corruption Act couldn’t be applied because these people weren’t public servants. They tried to get Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma punished because Azhar worked in State Bank of India and Ajay in Central Warehousing Corporation. But that didn’t work either because whatever dishonesty they did wasn’t as public servants it was as players of BCCI. So, this also got dismissed. That’s why whenever fixing cases come up in court, the evidence becomes weak, and these people get saved. At most, BCCI bans them, and then they go on to do reality shows. But they don’t end up in jail. This is why there have been many talks about creating a strong mechanism, but nothing has happened. Someone caught gambling in your lane gets the same punishment as those fixing matches worth crores. When the CBI report was submitted, an additional solicitor general who didn’t disclose his name said the law looks helpless against these cricketers. The case didn’t hold up in court, but BCCI knew exactly what they had done.
Reference :
Justice Qayyum report:
CBI report: https://dokumen.tips/download/link/cbis-report-on-cricket-match-fixing-and-related-malpractices.html
Delhi Sessions Court Discharge Order (IPL Spot Fixing):
India South Africa Cricket Match 2000 :
Justice Mudgal IPL Probe report: https://m.rediff.com/cricket/2014/feb/13justice-mudgal-ipl-probe-cocommittee-report-final-feb-8.pdf
THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI :
Chandrachud Report:
Dhoni named by justice Mudgal panel in secret IPL
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