The rise of the Match Fixing Ghost

2000 was one of the Worst Cricketing years in History for the sport. From the time of its creation till that date, the sport was called the Gentleman's game, and was popular throughout the Asian Sub-Continent. But, in March 2000, the sport came under the Match-Fixing scandal, and from then on the game has been placed under intense scrutiny. From the time when Former South African Captain Hansie Cronje admitted to accepting bribes to influence the outcome of the match, the sport changed forever. The consequences were indeed dire, with Cricket stadiums the World over running empty in case of an International match. Fans were refusing to come to matches, and it would seem that the sport was on the death-bed. In India, the major market for Cricket, the annual Sports award did not have the Cricket category, and cricket players were all viewed with suspicion.

Following some swift and strict actions, the main culprits were identified and were banned from the sport. The game is now under intense scrutiny and players now have to swear on Oat to not fix matches. Now, with some new innovations and a strict Anti-Corruption Bureau in the Cricket world, the game is now back on track. New innovations like 20-20 Cricket, Powerplays have all made the game popular and are vying to capture the global market. The World Cup of 2007 is just around the corner, and this promises to be a carnival of fun for it is held in the beautiful and Sunny Caribbean. However, the ghost of Match Fixing has come back to haunt the game, and the timing could not have been worse.

Reports have now emerged that West Indian player Marlon Samuels allegedly leaked out team information and tried to influence the outcome of the recent India-West Indies match in Nagpur by unfair means. He collaborated with a Bookie and allegedly fixed the match in Nagpur. Unfortunaely, this is the second time that Nagpur has come into the Match fixing scenario, the first one being the infamous India-Souh Africa fixed series of 2000. There is a possibility that one more player from the West Indies could be involved.

Why do individuals fix matches? What makes them forget for an instance that they are Sportsmen and are role models for ordinary people? What makes them compromise with their conscience and their ethics for a price? The scenario of Money being everything in the life of a person is evident in this case. The lure of Money has resulted in the tarnishing of the Sportsmen, but more tragically of the Sports itself. The only way perhaps for this Match-fixing stain to go away rests in the sportsmen itself. Till then, more events will follow, so the time now calls for absolute vigilance and scrutiny.