New Dehli – India's uncapped fast bowler T. P. Sudhindra has been handed a life ban for spot-fixing in a local match, the country's cricket chiefs announced on Saturday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also punished four other domestic players, with Shalabh Srivastava banned for five years, and Mohnish Mishra, Abhinav Bali and Amit Yadav each for one year.
“The disciplinary committee held Sudhindra guilty of actually receiving a consideration to spot-fix in a domestic cricket match, and hence imposed an exemplary penalty on him,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement.
The BCCI last month suspended the players from all cricket after a sting operation by a local TV channel during this season's Indian Premier League (IPL) highlighted alleged fixing and corruption in domestic matches.
The inquiry was carried out by former police officer Ravi Sawani, who had previously served on the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.
“Sudhindra has been debarred for life, from playing any cricket matches conducted or authorised by the ICC (International Cricket Council) or BCCI, or any affiliated unit of the BCCI,” Jagdale said in the statement.
Hindi-language India TV last month showed Sudhindra, of IPL's team Deccan Chargers, allegedly agreeing to bowl pre-arranged no-balls in a local amateur match.
Kings XI Punjab player Srivastava was reportedly heard boasting he could do the same in the IPL.
The channel reported it had taped seamer Srivastava telling its reporters he could deliver a no-ball in the IPL for one million rupees (about $18,500).
“Srivastava was held guilty of agreeing to fix a match and negotiate terms for the same, even though no actual match-fixing or spot fixing took place,” said Jagdale.
“He has been debarred for a period of five years.”
Mishra, Bali and Yadav were found guilty of bringing “the game into disrepute”.
“The three players, through loose talk and unsubstantiated bragging, brought the game into disrepute, and hence, have been held guilty of the lesser offence,” said Jagdale.
“They have been debarred for a period of one year.”
There was no immediate comment from the players.
The five are all first-class players, but have yet to break into international cricket.
The IPL, which began in 2008 as a high-octane mix of glamour, entertainment, rich purses for players and the excitement of slam-bang T20 cricket, has endured a difficult ride over the past four years.
The tournament, which features world stars playing for rich franchise owners, is also being investigated by government agencies for alleged fraud and foreign exchange violations.
Its founder Lalit Modi, who was suspended from the league in 2010, is holed up in London facing Indian government and BCCI charges of misappropriation of funds.
Three Pakistan players – Test captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif Ä plus their agent Mazhar Majeed were last year found guilty of spot-fixing during the 2010
Lord's Test against England and jailed. –Sapa-AFP