Just like any other sport on the planet, cricket is also the object of inappropriate approaches by match-fixers who are keen on stilting individual aspects of a game to elicit a huge payday at the bookies. Now, according to a report published by The Daily Sun, a cricketer who is currently playing in the Dhaka Premier League in Bangladesh, has been approached with a request to cook a game for eager match-fixers.
His team is set to return with the start of the new season on January 21. When such match-fixing approaches happen, many athletes find themselves tempted to comply, hoping that there would be no further risk to them other than gently but firmly influencing the desired aspect of a pre-selected contest.
However, a strong campaign promoting anti-cheating messages has been driving the message home in the global sporting elite. According to the report, the player in question has not hesitated to report the approach to the relevant authorities, which is in line with the league’s code of conduct.
Bangladesh Cricket Board Is Well-Seasoned in Dealing with Corruption
Specifically, the anonymous party had informed the anti-corruption unit, part of the Bangladesh Cricket Board. BCB officials have responded to the report, giving an elusive answer that they would not be confirming nor denying the rumors, leaving the anti-corruption unit to do its work.
However, the official said that they welcomed the honesty of cricketers in general in reporting such cases. Usually, match-fixing isn’t caught for months, although it really depends on the level of competition and who is partnering with what body. The biggest tell is an aberrant betting handle that is suddenly channeled in unlikely betting positions.
Then, depending on what partnerships exist between sports betting operators and official leagues, the issue may be investigated. Usually, low-key players would take years before their fault is brought to light, as has been the case with many tennis players recently, for example.
Match-fixing is taken very seriously at the Bangladesh Premier League. While the official body has advanced in dealing with such issues over the years, in 2014, an entire season had to be scrapped because of numerous reports of match-fixing.
However, the BPL has proven resilient on a governmental level when it comes to fixing games. While some sporting bodies seem to succumb to corruption from within, it seems the BPL had been able to resist and take proper recourse against fixers.
Corruption Finds a Way, But Players Prove Resilient
Not everyone has been on the straight and narrow, however. According to The Daily Sun, there have been many reports of match-fixers over the years. But unlike other sports, cricket in Bangladesh has found a way to fight back.
There have been several high-profile cases involving match-fixers over the years. In 2012, one Sajid Khan, a Pakistani citizen, was arrested in relation to match-fixing. When the BCB found out that the second season of the BPL may have been fixed – or suffered greatly because of fixing – the organization did not hesitate to hire the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit and conduct a damning investigation.
Reports of match-fixing continued over the years, but the BCB has been actively tackling each one and taking measures against offending parties. In 2019, nine people were booked and sanctioned under the organization’s code of conduct for participating in match-fixing on various levels.