From Slapgate to spot-fixing, the five biggest scandals to rock the IPL

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  • Harbhajan Singh was banned for slapping S Sreesanth.

    The build-up to the Indian Premier League is at its peak with the 11th edition set to get underway on April 7.

    Over the course of a decade, the IPL has dished out entertainment aplenty with its mix of the biggest international stars in the world coupled with the best of Indian talents.

    Apart from this, the franchise based competition has also served up its fair share of controversies to go with the good.

    Here, we look at five of the biggest scandals to rock the IPL.

    SLAPGATE

    In the very inaugural edition of the IPL in 2018, two former India team-mates created headlines for all the wrong reasons. In a match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab, Harbhajan Singh reportedly slapped S Sreesanth after his side had completed the victory.

    The incident happened when the two sets of players were shaking hands upon completion of the match. The Mumbai Indians stand-in skipper slapped the pacer reportedly as he approached for the post-match handshake.

    Harbhajan was banned for the rest of the IPL campaign and fined 100 per cent of his match fees after a review of the incident.

    The duo had played plenty of matches together for India.

    The duo had played plenty of matches together for India.

    PAKISTAN PLAYERS IGNORED

    While the first edition of the IPL saw huge participation from the Pakistan players, the second saw none. After the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008, the Pakistan government deemed it unsafe for its players to visit India for the 2009 edition.

    The following year, none of the Pakistan players were surprisingly picked in the auctions despite confirming their availability. That obviously, led to a huge outrage back in Pakistan as it was seen as a rude snub.

    Since then, Pakistan players have not played in the IPL despite a few of them like Shahid Afridi entering their names in the auction in 2016.

    Pakistan players have not been picked since the first edition.

    Pakistan players have not been picked since the first edition.

    LALIT MODI GETS BANNED

    Lalit Modi, the man credited with setting up the league in the first place, was removed from his position as the IPL Commissioner and expelled from the BCCI after being found guilty of rigging bids by the disciplinary committee.

    It all escalated from Modi accusing the then Indian Foreign Affairs minister Shashi Tharoor for facilitating the entry of the Kochi Tuskers Kerala franchise in the 2010 edition.

    That accusation quickly snowballed and soon, Modi found himself being investigated by the BCCI’s disciplinary committee and was subsequently found guilty of rigging bids during the auctions.

    Modi found himself shunned from the league he himself created.

    Modi found himself shunned from the league he himself created.

    SPOT FIXING SAGA OF 2013

    In the 2013 edition, the IPL was rocked by a spot-fixing scandal involving players from Rajasthan Royals, including Sreesanth.

    The Delhi Police arrested Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan after a match-against the Mumbai Indians for allegedly working under the instructions of bookies.

    One of the charges against Sreesanth was agreeing to concede 14 runs in an over by making a signal through a hand-towel.

    The BCCI opened its own proceedings into the matter and handed out life bans to Sreesanth and Chavan while several others were suspended.

    Sreesanth was handed a life-ban from the BCCI for his role.

    Sreesanth was handed a life-ban from the BCCI for his role.

    CHENNAI SUPERS KINGS AND RAJASTHAN ROYALS BANNED

    Perhaps the biggest scandal to hit the IPL yet, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were handed two-year bans by the BCCI in 2013.

    It all started with the spot-fixing investigation which quickly spiralled into a broader anti-corruption investigation as the BCCI was forced to sit up and take notice.

    Royals co-owner Raj Kundra was found guilty of betting on the team’s own matches, a charge similar to the one levelled against India Cements (owns CSK) owner N Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan who was also found guilty of revealing insider team information to a renowned TV personality. In July 2015, both teams were eventually handed out two-year-bans, returning to the competition only now for the upcoming edition.

    Gurunath Meiyappan was found to be betting on CSK matches.

    Gurunath Meiyappan was found to be betting on CSK matches.

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