Indian bowler Mohammed Siraj said that a man approached him for “inside” information after losing money while betting during the ODI series between India and Australia in March, reigniting the suspicion of match-fixing in Indian cricket.
According to ANI, quoting Anti-Corruption Unit authorities on Wednesday, the Indian pacer promptly reported the incident to BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) after being asked for “insider” information.
Several Indian cricketers’ professional careers were almost over because of their associations with corruption allegations. Since S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan, and Ajit Chandia, three players with the Rajasthan Royals, were detained on suspicion of spot fixing, the BCCI has stepped up its anti-corruption campaign. Additionally, Gurunath Meiyappan, a former CSK officer, was detained for ties to gambling in May 2013.
Since then, BCCI has intensified its anti-corruption drive among participants in the game, including players and officials. Additionally, players must show up for an ACU session. In addition, players may suffer repercussions if they fail to report instances of insider information or other forms of misconduct. Shakib Al Hasan, the captain of Bangladesh, was suspended in 2019 for failing to report the deployment of a corrupt plan during a tri-series in early 2018 and his IPL tenure later that year.
In the current IPL season, Siraj has played admirably for his side, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He has taken eight wickets in five games so far this session, with an average of 17.50 and an economy rate of 7.00. His tournament-best bowling average to date is 3/22.
As the top bowler in the ICCC Men’s ODI Player Rankings, Siraj has made a name for himself in international cricket this year. In eight ODIs for India so far in 2023, he has taken 19 wickets at an average of 13.21 and a 4.61 economy rate. His best bowling total in ODIs is 4/32. He has also taken more wickets in ODIs for India than any other full-member nation this year. In three test matches that took place in 2023, he has taken a wicket this year.