The International Cricket Council (ICC) has cleared India’s two home Tests against England in 2016 and Australia in 2017, explaining that spot-fixing claims made by an Al Jazeera documentary had ‘fundamental weaknesses’.
In May 2018, an investigative documentary titled ‘Cricket's Match Fixers’ claimed that an India-England Test in Ranchi and an India-Australia Test in Chennai had ‘fixed’ sessions.
The documentary also alleged that a group of English and Australian cricketers were involved in spot-fixing.
The ICC roped in four betting and cricket specialists to assess whether there was any unusual activity during the course of both Tests in Ranchi and Chennai. However, all four specialists concluded that passages of play were ‘entirely predictable, and therefore implausible as a fix.’
"We welcome the reporting of alleged corrupt activity within cricket as there is no place for such conduct in our sport, but we also need to be satisfied there is sufficient evidence to sustain charges against Participants," Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager (Integrity) said.
"Should any new substantial evidence come to light I will re-examine the case. But at present, I am comfortable with the conclusion of the investigation and the thoroughness with which it was undertaken,” Marshall concluded.
Feature photo: AFP / Arun Sankar
