Match fixing incidents have spoiled the face of the "gentleman's game" many times since the advent of the 20th century. Most of the culprits have faced severe consequences and never been involved with cricket while some rare few like Mohammad Amir have made successful comebacks after serving time off.
It has become so commonplace that the crowd is posed with a question in their minds if the match is "fixed" for every close finish. Not without reason, though. With a shady past and betting, despite being illegal, quite a routine, it is unlikely "match fixing" will die anytime soon.
Also Read: Four South African cricketers banned for match fixing
The ICC has been fairly strict to the offenders but that has not stopped players from bending the laws. The bookmakers approach players to throw matches or simulate scenarios in real matches so that bookies earn lots of money. We could easily conclude that betting has always fueled match fixing or spot fixing.
Betting, in particular, has become such a well-oiled engine that it leaves no trails. In spite of getting ample evidence in the form of telephonic conversations or video tapes that link players with bookies, no action was taken by BCCI.
The corruption in the IPL is widely known and the big scam that erupted came as little surprise. Let us take a look at some of the terrible match fixing incidents that shocked the cricketing fraternity.
#1 The Hansie Gate
The biggest match-fixing scandal in the history of cricket tore apart cricket fans in two nations – India and South Africa. Shocking revelations by the Indian police in 2000 claimed close to five players from either side were involved with bookies to fix a match in the bilateral series between the two sides.
The heartbreaking fact was that captains of both sides were the prime culprits – Mohammad Azharuddin and Hansie Cronje. Azharuddin was guilty of not only being in touch with bookies but also for bringing in other players.
The other players allegedly involved from South Africa were Henry Williams, Nicky Boje and Herschelle Gibbs – who after initially accepting to go along with the plan, ultimately changed his mind and went on to score a blistering 74. Azhar had involved other Indian players like Ajay Jadeja and Manoj Prabhakar.
Also Read: Mohammad Azharuddin - A story of graceful batting, match-fixing controversies and turbulent marriages
Cronje denied all allegations but Indian Police had audio tapes connecting Cronje to bookie, Sanjay Chawla. Cronje admitted after four days of rigorous questioning that he was not "entirely honest" resulting in a life ban. Gibbs sealed Cronje's fate when he admitted that his captain had asked him to score less than 20 in return for $15,000.
Cronje later said Azhar had introduced him to the bookie, directing investigations the former Indian captain’s way. Azhar, during CBI investigations, admitted to having fixed three games – against South Africa in 1996, Sri Lanka in 1997 and Pakistan in 1999 with the help of his teammates, Jadeja and Nayan Mongia.
Mongia was later found not guilty but Azhar and Jadeja were banned for life while Williams and Gibbs were banned for six months. Cronje, who was also given a life ban, died in a plane crash in 2002.
#2 The Shane Warne-Mark Waugh saga
The Australian Cricket Board, ACB, after covering up the whole thing for close to four years, admitted two of its cult players, Mark Waugh and Shane Warne, had been paid by bookies to give information about the pitch during the Singer Cup in Sri Lanka in 1994.
The startling revelations had the cricketing community in shock and shattered the common belief that Australians are passionate cricket players. Warne and Waugh had claimed in 1995 that Pakistan batsman, Saleem Malik had offered them $200,000 to play poorly. Questions were raised everywhere as to why the ABC and the ICC, who knew of the incident, chose to keep it under wraps.
The bookie was alleged to be a "John" from Chennai. However, in India, rumours surrounded a powerful Delhi-based bookie, Mukesh. Another glaring coincidence was that Manoj Prabhakar had said that it was during this tournament that a teammate had offered him money to throw a match against Pakistan.
The story goes like this – a man approached Warne, who was pretty fond of gambling and offered him $5000 to spend at the gambling table. Later he innocuously asked for pitch information. In actual, Warne and Mark Waugh, who also took the bait for $6000, were being softened up for later benefits.
The duo were fined $8000 each for the offence but it became clearer to the world that match fixing is here to stay.
#3 The Chris Cairns story
Chris Cairns, a New Zealand legend, was alleged to have tried to fix games during his time with Chandigarh Lions in the Indian Cricket League(ICL), by an investigation conducted by the ICC.
Former New Zealand opener, Lou Vincent accused Cairns of approaching him to fix matches. Brendon McCullum also told the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) of Cairns coaxing him into fixing. Cairns, however, insisted that he did not fix any match.
In 2012, Cairns even successfully sued Lalit Modi, who had accused him of match-fixing via Twitter in 2010. He was acquitted of charges of perjury on November 30, 2015. The court had heard that Cairns was paid more than $250,000 by Vijay Dimon, a diamond firm run by Vijay Shah and his son, Vishal Shah. Cairns had met Vishal at a charity cricket event. Cairns said the money was to set himself up in Dubai for a career post cricket.
As Cairns repeatedly denied the suggestions, the prosecutor added, “You had a piece of the pie, didn’t you? You had a very fat piece of the pie.” to which Cairns replied, “I was trying to create a career post-cricket, trying to become involved in their business.”
#4 Spot Fixing scandal in England
The biggest match-fixing scandal since the Hansie Gate happened in Pakistan's tour of England in 2010. Young pace bowlers, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif along with Salman Butt, the captain, were implicated in a spot-fixing incident.
All three players had taken money from a bookie named Mazhar Majeed to perform certain directed acts during the course of the Test at Lord's. A sting operation revealed that Majeed predicted the exact times Asif and Amir would bowl no-balls. Butt became involved as Majeed was caught revealing the exact proceedings of an over while implying Butt was also in.
In a video posted by News of the World, the team that conducted the sting operation, Majeed predicted that Amir's first ball of the third over in the fourth test at Lord's would be a no-ball. Amir did bowl the third over, and on his first delivery from the over, conceded a no-ball.
Commentators described the delivery as an "enormous no-ball, good half a metre over the line".Majeed also predicted that the sixth delivery of the tenth over would be a no-ball delivered by Asif, which also turned out to be true.
On 5 February 2011, after several trials, it was announced that the ICC had banned all three players. Butt was banned for ten years, of which five were later suspended, Asif for seven years, of which two were suspended, and Amir for five years. Amir returned successfully for Pakistan in 2015 after serving his time off and plays in all three formats.
#5 The IPL spot-fixing breakout
The 2013 IPL spot-fixing incident revealed IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals' cricketers Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila of spot fixing matches in the IPL. Mumbai police arrested Vindu Dara Singh and Gurunathfor Meiyappan for alleged betting and having links with bookies.
After the trio were arrested, Rajasthan Royals suspended their contracts till investigations were done. Delhi police claimed that Sreesanth and Chavan confessed being involved in spot-fixing. The police also claimed that Chandila had tried to get other players involved in the spot-fixing as directed by the bookies.
The BCCI secretary then said, "The BCCI is shocked and saddened at the recent developments. The BCCI has zero tolerance to corruption. We will offer all cooperation to the Delhi police and all other authorities in their investigations in this matter. The IPL Governing Council has met and decided that the cricketers found involved will be dealt with severely."
Delhi police later claimed the trio were acting under the orders of underworld Dons, Dawood Ibrahim, and Chotta Shakeel. Sreesanth and Ankit Chavan were handed life bans by BCCI.
Call records of Vindu Dara Singh proved that he was in constant contact with supposed Chennai Super Kings franchise principal and BCCI president, Sreenivasan's son in law, Gurunath Meiyappan.
On 24 May 2013, Gurunath Meiyappan was taken into custody on charges of betting, conspiracy and cheating after questioning by the Mumbai Crime Branch.
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