So, the 6th Edition of the Indian Premier League, the T20 cricketing extravaganza came and went. The defending champions the Kolkata Knight Riders were knocked out even before the knock out stages and Mumbai Indians became the new champions at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, champions for the first time defeating the Chennai Super Kings, the most consistent of all IPL teams in the short history of the league.
But the real action in this year's IPL actually took place outside the cricket stadiums. The suspicions that fixers both of the "Match" as well as "Spot" varieties were at play were confirmed during the course of this year's edition. The Rajasthan Royals team led admirably by "The Wall" Rahul Dravid got involved in an ugly tangle when three of its players were arrested on charges of spot fixing.
Ex-Indian International player Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and spinners Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were caught by the police on charges of being in touch with bookies who placed bets on the basis of information supplied and actions the players indulged in during matches. The cricketers in turn were stashed with cash and supplied with girls by the bookies. It is ironic that a team that was lead by Rahul Dravid, the epitome of gentleman ship and sports spirit should have these rotten apples amongst them.
After the arrest of the cricketers and a few bookies, as the investigations further intensified, an even more startling arrest took place, that of Vindoo Dara Singh, the son of the legendary Indian wrestler/actor Dara Singh. Himself a winner of a reality show Bigg Boss, Vindoo, it seems was a conduit between the bookies and the people who were placing bets on the IPL matches. In custody, Vindoo is appearing to be singing as a canary does and the first high profile catch has been, Gurunath Meiyappan, the son-in-law of the BCCI honcho N.Srinivasan (Srini). Incidentally, Gurunath also happens to be a co-owner, principal and CEO of Chennai Super Kings, which again coincidentally is owned by his pop-in-law, Srini. That CSK have been the most consistent team in IPL, that they lost this year's final, that Srini and his son-in-law own the Team would have us believe that IPL is full of "co- incidents".
Daggers are out for Srinivasan's head and the pressure is on for him to resign as the president of BCCI but he has till date refused to bow. Probably, money power that he has in abundance and the fickle mind of the public at large probably gives him the confidence that he would withstand the present storm. But then does Money buy you everything?? Interesting but shameful times ahead it seems. IPL envisaged as a sporting entertainment extravaganza has turned into a den of vices and the billions who follow it, may now start feeling that they have been taken for a ride for Six years continuously.
S for Six, S for Sreesanth, S for Srinivasan, S for Superkings, too much coincidence again?? It seems my mind has gone for S for sixer and I am seeing coincidences all around as we near the S for sixth month of the year 2013!!!
But the real action in this year's IPL actually took place outside the cricket stadiums. The suspicions that fixers both of the "Match" as well as "Spot" varieties were at play were confirmed during the course of this year's edition. The Rajasthan Royals team led admirably by "The Wall" Rahul Dravid got involved in an ugly tangle when three of its players were arrested on charges of spot fixing.
Ex-Indian International player Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and spinners Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were caught by the police on charges of being in touch with bookies who placed bets on the basis of information supplied and actions the players indulged in during matches. The cricketers in turn were stashed with cash and supplied with girls by the bookies. It is ironic that a team that was lead by Rahul Dravid, the epitome of gentleman ship and sports spirit should have these rotten apples amongst them.
After the arrest of the cricketers and a few bookies, as the investigations further intensified, an even more startling arrest took place, that of Vindoo Dara Singh, the son of the legendary Indian wrestler/actor Dara Singh. Himself a winner of a reality show Bigg Boss, Vindoo, it seems was a conduit between the bookies and the people who were placing bets on the IPL matches. In custody, Vindoo is appearing to be singing as a canary does and the first high profile catch has been, Gurunath Meiyappan, the son-in-law of the BCCI honcho N.Srinivasan (Srini). Incidentally, Gurunath also happens to be a co-owner, principal and CEO of Chennai Super Kings, which again coincidentally is owned by his pop-in-law, Srini. That CSK have been the most consistent team in IPL, that they lost this year's final, that Srini and his son-in-law own the Team would have us believe that IPL is full of "co- incidents".
Daggers are out for Srinivasan's head and the pressure is on for him to resign as the president of BCCI but he has till date refused to bow. Probably, money power that he has in abundance and the fickle mind of the public at large probably gives him the confidence that he would withstand the present storm. But then does Money buy you everything?? Interesting but shameful times ahead it seems. IPL envisaged as a sporting entertainment extravaganza has turned into a den of vices and the billions who follow it, may now start feeling that they have been taken for a ride for Six years continuously.
S for Six, S for Sreesanth, S for Srinivasan, S for Superkings, too much coincidence again?? It seems my mind has gone for S for sixer and I am seeing coincidences all around as we near the S for sixth month of the year 2013!!!
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