With cases of corruption in India’s state-run Twenty20 Leagues growing day by day, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been on high alert with their Anti-Corruption Unit also calling for the T20 leagues to be scrutinised more closely.
A report submitted by the ACU to the national board mentioned that one Tamil Nadu Premier League 2019 match between Tuti Patriots and Madurai Panthers witnessed a staggering betting amount of Rs 225 crore on the international gambling site Betfair, The Indian Express reported.
The ACU got the information with the help of two research companies that keep tabs on odds being placed for any team in T20 leagues globally. It is learnt that Betfair later stopped accepting bets for any matches involving franchise Tuti Patriots as they were concerned with the huge betting amounts linked to the TNPL, continued the report.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had earlier said that two TNPL franchises were suspended due to connection with bookies but a Tamil Nadu Cricket Association came out an said that the franchises would remain intact. However, two co-owners of Tuti Patriots were expelled due to corruption links.
Fixing scandals have rocked the Karnataka Premier League as well where few players and a bookie were arrested. The ACU is also investigating a case where a Mumbai player was approached from a team owner to indulge in betting during the T20 Mumbai league, according to the newspaper.
While the BCCI is against the idea of scrapping such leagues, Ganguly said the board will have to strengthen its ACU to deal with these kinds of issues.
