Early Reports: 27 IPL Players Involved In Match Fixing

News is coming through in drips, but the early reports say that 27 cricketers and 1 administrator have been caught match fixing by the Government of India's income tax department investigators. NDTV is reporting that the allegations of match fixing relate to IPL², which was held in South Africa. Apparently, the cricketers allegedly involved in match fixing are of both Indian and non-Indian origins. Thankfully, one consolation for Indian fans in this sorry state of affairs is that the "Big Three of Indian cricket - Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid - are clean and above this muck."

The reporter staking out at tax department headquarters has reported that at least one big name Australian cricketer has been implicated in the match fixing allegations by this latest report. This cricketer has apparently fled India early than he was originally scheduled to leave after the conclusion of his IPL³ commitments. This bloke clearly had friends in high places who tipped him off!

While the details are still sketchy and the NDTV journalist on location at tax department headquarters is reporting rumour, past experience tells me that fire is ultimately witnessed when smoke is smelled pertaining to such matters. One small tweet from Lalit Modi has blown a giant lid on the slime that lays beneath the glitz, glamour and brash displays of wealth and power in and around the IPL circus.

If these allegations are eventually proven, the administration of cricket worldwide, but particularly in India, will require a fundamental paradigm shift. It has only been 10 years since the last match fixing scandal claimed international captains and their players. The wounds from that trauma had begun to heal, but the scabs have not yet fallen off. In this context, cricket will need to undertake some serious confidence building measures to regain the trust of diehard fans and cynical critics alike. To do so again, within 10 years of the previous episode, will be infinitely harder.

I beg the question, do cricket administrators have the ability and inclination to rise above their petty politics, egotistical ways and general greed to do all that is necessary to comprehensively rid the game of this despicable evil? On the basis of the evidence they have furnished over the previous few years, you would be forgiven for thinking not.

Allegations will continue to fly for quite some time. As a committed cricket fan and consumer of all things cricketing, I can only hope that this latest disaster will prove to be the line in the sand between a past in shimmering armour, and a future of bright, clean and golden sunrises.

Stay tuned to TMR's Twitter feed and homepage for more updates on this latest instalment of sleaze and greed in the greatest game on this planet.