The team has been previously banned for two seasons in IPL 2016 and 2017.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) are going through a difficult phase in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 205) after losing six of the eight games played so far. To make things worse, the franchise was recently accused by Jaideep Bihani, a senior member of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) and also an MLA, of match-fixing following the narrow two-run loss against LSG on April 19 (Saturday). Prior to that, RR lost another close match to Delhi Capitals (DC).
However, the RR management have now decided to break the silence on the matter and provide a response to the allegations. According to an IANS report, Deep Roy, a senior RR official has completely dismissed the accusations.
It is also understood that the RR management has officially written to the Chief Minister, Sports Minister, and Sports Secretary of Rajasthan, asking for strict action to be taken against Bihani.
“We reject all allegations made by the convener of the ad hoc committee. Such public statements are not only misleading but have caused serious damage to the reputation and credibility of Rajasthan Royals, Royal Multi Sport Private Limited (RMPL), the Rajasthan Sports Council, and the BCCI. They also tarnish the integrity of cricket.”
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This wouldn’t be the first time RR has been embroiled in match-fixing controversy. The IPL spot-fixing scandal first erupted in 2013 when Delhi Police arrested several RR players over alleged betting. Later, in 2015, the team received a two-year suspension after being found guilty of breaching BCCI regulations by submitting fraudulent bids.
The accusations this time have been made by a member of their own association, and if the IPL governing council finds it credible and decides to investigate the claims, RR could face serious consequences. If there’s evidence that RR intentionally lost their matches against DC and LSG, the franchise could risk another suspension, similar to their ban in 2016 and 2017.
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