Unauthorized cricket league using Virat Kohli's image for promotion blocked by BCCI

NCR Cricket League was scheduled to commence from 11 August, but the Anti-Corruption Unit of BCCI intervened in time and blocked the league. The organisers were using Virat Kohli's image to endorse the tournament and invite fans to make teams on Mobile Premier League (MPL), an online gaming platform that the Indian cricket team captain promotes.

The organisers were earmarking players as potential superstars. BCCI decided to muscle in once the organisers began approaching cricketers playing in BCCI's domestic setup to feature in the self-proclaimed 'biggest cricket league in Uttar Pradesh'.

We intercepted them at the stage of team selections: BCCI ACU head

BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) head Ajit Singh shed light on this saying that the board has asked all of its registered players not to be lured away by the unauthorised League, and let their moral values be the driving force.

“We intercepted them at the stage of team selections. We sent out an advisory to all our registered players not to participate,” he informed Hindustan Times.

The league which was supposed to be telecasted on YouTube was all set to be organised by a man based in New Delhi under the umbrella of 'NCR Cricket Association'.

Ajit Singh further informed that they pay no attention to 'street leagues', but they need to intervene once their contracted players are approached for such leagues.

“If they get our registered players and they get exposed to corruption at an elementary stage, it is not good for their careers or the game,” says Singh. “But if someone stages cricket with mohalla (street) cricketers, we can’t do anything", he remarked.

This isn't the first time Virat Kohli's image has been used by these organisers, however. Not too long ago, the same organisers were promoting another illegal league titled ‘Hapur Premier League’, which had a fake image of the Royal Challengers Bangalore captain endorsing it as well.