XtraTime Web Desk: Cricket and Controversy, these two words always go side by side since the Gentlemen’s game started. All the cricket playing team had few controversies in the past and the world’s biggest cash rich league Indian Premier League (IPL) is also no different from it. Here we will talk about five most talked about controversies in IPL.
IPL Spot Fixing Scandal
The Indian Premier League’s clean image faced a huge blow when in the year 2013 the Delhi Police stated that some matches of that season were fixed by a few cricketers. In a sting operation which was done by Delhi Police revealed that some to players like S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila & Ankit Chavan of Rajasthan Royals were a part of the fixing. Later the trio was banned by BCCI for life. The investigation also revealed that Gurunath Meiyappan, the so-called cricket enthusiast and Chennai Super Kings’ team principal was also involved in it.
Harbhajan-Sreesanth Spat in IPL
Once again, Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth were involved in an on-field spat. It happened in the 2008 IPL match between Harbhajan Singh led Mumbai Indians and Sreesanth’s Yuvraj Singh led Kings XI Punjab. After Punjab defeated Mumbai, the players were greeting each other and that was when Harbhajan slapped his India teammate Sreesanth, who seemed to have provoked him.
Dhoni straight went onto the field during IPL match against Rajasthan Royals
The incident happened during Match 25 of IPL 2019 between Chennai Super Kings & Rajasthan Royals. MS Dhoni led CSK were given a target of 155 to chase and at a crucial stage they needed 8 runs from 3 deliveries.
England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes was bowling that over and on his fourth delivery he bowled a full toss to Mitchell Santner and straight umpire Ulhas Gandhe called it a no-ball. However, once the batsmen picked up a couple, Gandhe withdrew his call.
Jadeja, who was at the non-striker’s end got into an argument with the umpires but Gandhe and square leg umpire Bruce Oxenford were not ready to change their stance. A visibly miffed Dhoni charged out to the middle from the benches and pointed at Gandhe, claiming that he had called a no-ball before Stokes tried to calm Dhoni down.
The the umpier’s final decision stood despite of all the efforts from Dhoni after which CSK clinched a thrilling win courtesy of a last ball six from Santner.
Lalit Modi sacked (2010)
The IPL founder and chairman was suspended from his post by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after charges of financial wrongdoing against him emerged in 2010. After finding him guilty of indiscipline and misconduct, the BCCI in 2013 banned him for life from holding any cricket post.
Shah Rukh Khan Wankhede ban (2012)
The Bollywood star and Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner was involved in an altercation with security guards at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai after his side’s win over the Mumbai Indians. Khan was accused of walking into the field after the game and abusing the officials. Mumbai Cricket Association banned Khan from entering the stadium for five years, but revoked it in 2015.