New Delhi: The BCCI on Tuesday termed the spot-fixing scandal in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and other domestic competitions as “disturbing” and said it would take strict action against those found guilty of indulging in corrupt practices. “The footage that was shown by a television channel [India TV] was very disturbing,” BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty said.

“There has been an immediate action proposed by the BCCI president [N Srinivasan], and strong action will be taken against those found guilty,” he added. The channel claimed that it had done a sting operation in which many IPL players confessed on a hidden camera that they get much more money under the table than their prescribed auction fees.

According to the channel, its operation also revealed that spot-fixing is not only prevalent in the IPL but also in first class matches. “We will not tolerate any such thing. BCCI has zero tolerance when it comes to corruption and dope related issues. This footage is very disturbing for the BCCI,” said Shetty.

Shetty also informed that the BCCI president has also sought the TV channel to provide the board with the CD of the “complete footage” so that they can examine it thoroughly. “The Board has written a letter to the channel and has asked for the CD and gets an access to whatever was displayed. The BCCI will fully inquire into the issue,” he added.

Meanwhile, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla also said that strict action will be taken against players involved in any act of corruption. “We have the meeting of the Governing Council at 1430 today. We will not tolerate any such activities and whatever report we receive, we will take very strict action. In the past also, BCCI has not spared anyone [involved in fixing],” Shukla said.

New Delhi: Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Tuesday said the onus lies with the BCCI as far as the IPL spot-fixing is concerned and has asked the board to take prompt action in the interest of the millions of cricket fans in the country. “I am sure and wish that BCCI acts fast, goes into the root cause of this problem and solves the problem in the interest of the millions of fans of cricket in our country,” Maken said.

The Sports Minister also hoped that the BCCI would sort out the issue at the earliest. “I have just seen part of what all of you have seen in the sting operation. I am very sure…you all know that in cricket, in other sports also and not only in India but elsewhere also, we occasionally hear such things happening. But the challenge and the opportunity here lies with the BCCI as to how far they are able to go to the root cause, go to the bottom of the problem and sort it out,” Maken said.

The matter was also raised during the Zero Hour by Samajwadi Party member Shailendra Kumar and supported by former cricketer Kirti Azad of the BJP. Kumar said when there is a demand to check the flow of black money and bringing it back from foreign banks, the “black money is being turned into white through the IPL.” Action has been taken against some Pakistani cricketers over their alleged involvement in match-fixing, but there has so far been no action against any Indian cricketer, he said, demanding a high-level inquiry into the episode.

Azad said spot-fixing and match-fixing have been prevalent from way back in 1999 and even former South African captain Hansie Cronje was allegedly involved in it. Observing that IPL was a commercial entity, he said there have been reports of foreign exchange violations and the government should look into it.

He claimed that since politicians came in to head or being part of the various national sports associations, “corruption has seeped in and grown… Rs. 30 crore is paid every year to each of these federations. Where does this money go? There is no internal audit.” The BJP member demanded probe into the allegations and stern action against those found guilty.

New Delhi: The IPL’s Governing Council will have a tele-conference this afternoon to discuss the television sting operation which claims to have blown the lid off “murky deals” in the cash-rich T20 league.

IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla said strict action would be taken if any player is found to be involved in spot-fixing. Top BCCI officials have already started discussing the issue among themselves amid indications that stern action could be taken against a few players who are shown in the sting operation.

“The IPL Governing Council will discuss the issue. We have asked for the tapes. We will study the tapes and then take a decision,” a top BCCI source said.

A TV channel on Monday claimed to have blown the lid off “murky deals” in the IPL among players, organisers, owners and big guns of Indian cricket, prompting the BCCI to warn that stringent action will be taken if the report is found to be true.

The channel, India TV, claimed it had done a sting operation in which many players confessed on hidden camera that they get much more than their prescribed auction under the table. According to the channel, its operation also revealed that spot-fixing is not only prevalent in IPL, but also first class matches are fixed and women played an important role in match-fixing.

Asked about the sting operation, BCCI chief N Srinivasan had said, “We will ensure that the integrity of the game is protected. BCCI believes in the integrity of the game. We will take the strictest possible action.

“If there is any truth in it… It is a fact that we will take strictest action. Even if it means suspending the players immediately. But [that has to be] based on some evidence and fact, for which I have asked the COO of IPL Sundar Raman to request for the tape.”

A rejuvenated Kings XI Punjab will be aiming to keep their play-off hopes alive when they take on table-toppers Delhi Daredevils in an Indian Premier League match in New Delhi on Tuesday.

While Delhi, with 18 points from 13 games, are favourites to make it to the play-offs, Kings XI, who have of late won a few close games, would like to win their remaining three games in order to stay in contention having logged 14 points so far.

The two teams have had contrasting results in their previous matches. While Delhi were completely outplayed by Chennai Super Kings after their top-order flopped miserably, KXIP eked out a victory off the last ball courtesy some lusty shots by stand-in-captain David Hussey and young Gurkeerat Singh Ahluwalia.

The Daredevils have been mostly dependent on their top-order batsmen to fire. Inevitably when skipper Virender Sehwag or David Warner have failed to provide momentum, the home team has looked pretty ordinary as the middle-order batsmen are yet to stand-up and be counted.

Yogesh Nagar and Y Venugopal Rao got the ideal platform to prove their detractors that they too have the firepower but what one saw was a meek effort.

Dwayne Bravo smashed a last-ball six as Chennai Super Kings pulled off a stunning five-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in a dramatic Indian Premier League match to keep their hopes of a play-off berth alive on Monday.

With five runs required from the last ball, Bravo (11 not out off seven balls) smashed Rajat Bhatia for a six over long on to stun a jam-packed crowd at Eden Gardens.

Chasing 159 for a win, Michael Hussey (56 from 39 balls) and Murali Vijay (36 from 25 balls) set the platform with a 97-run stand from 10.2 overs for the opening wicket.

But Sunil Narine’s mystery bowling, in which he claimed 2-14, swung the momentum in favour of KKR before Chennai skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (28 balls from 21 balls) set up the match nicely, taking 18 runs from the penultimate over bowled by Marchant de Lange.

Nine runs were required from the last over but with Dhoni being dismissed when he was bowled by a slower ball from Bhatia in the second ball, the match went down to the wire.

Aiming to send the ball out of the park, Bravo miscued one delivery in the penultimate ball when his bat slipped out of his hands on to the midwicket to take the match to a last ball finish.

With the win on Monday, Chennai climbed to fourth spot in the table with 17 points from 15 matches, the same as KKR who occupied the third spot with a better net run rate.

The win also avenged Chennai’s first-leg defeat at home against the same opponents.

Chennai were given an aggressive start by Hussey and Vijay who put on 97-run partnership from 62 balls. The duo seemed to begin from where they had left in the previous match when their 75-run stand had set the tone for a comprehensive nine-wicket win over table-toppers Delhi Daredevils.

Laxmipathy Balaji, having recovered from a ligament strain, looked out of sorts as the seamer was hit for 11 runs that included a six, a boundary and a wide.

Hussey was equally ruthless against Jacques Kallis for a six in the next over while Vijay too complemented the Aussie with some delightful strokes. It was raining sixes and boundaries all over the park.

The first powerplay yielded 51 runs as Chennai were comfortably placed at 96 for no loss in 10 overs.

The blazing start meant that the required run-rate was well under control while KKR struggled on the field.

Even a successful 11th over in which Narine foxed the Chennai opening duo could not make much of an impact.

A third wicket followed in the form of Suresh Raina (8) but with the equation reading 49 runs from 40 balls, it was well under control for Dhoni’s men.

But Narine’s final over in which he conceded just three runs, swung the momentum in favour of KKR with 32 required from last three overs.

Narine returned with figures of 4-0-14-2 to give KKR a fine chance but de Lange’s penultimate over in which he leaked 18 runs gave the momentum back to Chennai.

Indian Premier League 2012

Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings – 63rd Match

Played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, 14 May 2012

Toss - Chennai Super Kings won the toss and elected to Field.

Result – Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 5 wickets

Fall of wickets (Kolkata Knight Riders):

1-99 (McCullum, 11.3 ov), 2-100 (Gambhir, 12.1 ov), 3-111 (Kallis, 14.4 ov), 4-127 (Pathan, 16.6 ov), 5-128 (Tiwary, 17.2 ov), 6-156 (Shukla, 19.3 ov)

Fall of wickets (Chennai Super Kings):

1-97 (Hussey, 10.2 ov), 2-97 (Vijay, 10.4 ov), 3-110 (Raina, 13.2 ov), 4-127 (du Plessis, 17.1 ov), 5-151 (Dhoni, 19.2 ov)

Teams:
Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Gautam Gambhir(c), Brendon McCullum(w), Jacques Kallis, Manoj Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan, Debabrata Das, Laxmi Shukla, Rajat Bhatia, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Sunil Narine, Marchant de Lange

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Murali Vijay, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, MS Dhoni(w/c), Faf du Plessis, Srikkanth Anirudha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shadab Jakati, Ben Hilfenhaus