MUMBAI: Veteran Indian speedster Munaf Patel on Friday vociferously denied links to any match-fixing syndicate.
His assertion comes in the wake of a report filed by Indian Express alleging that an unnamed member of the Indian cricket team which won the ICC World Cup in 2011 was under scrutiny over alleged links with match-fixing syndicates.
The MS Dhoni-led India had beaten Sri Lanka in the final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai to lift the coveted trophy after 28 years.
Talking to Times Now, Patel said: “You must know that a person who has played the IPL, who has played for the country, will they do fixing in the Rajputana League?”
Responding to a question about his appearance in the opening ceremony of the T20 league, Patel countered: “What’s the big deal. If I get the money, can I not even go for the inaugural ceremony? Now, Shahrukh Khan will come, Salman Khan will come, will they come for free? You know even they take money to come, right?”
“So suppose something wrong happens in the IPL, will you question Salman?”
“My life revolves around cricket, and I do not even do anything apart from playing cricket. If anyone accuses me, whether it’s the CID or the government, I will not leave them. I have not played nor I am a bookie,” Patel added.
The syndicate had reportedly organised Rajputana Premier League (RPL) Twenty20 tournament in Jaipur in July 2017.
As per the Indian Express report, RPL first came under the scrutiny of the BCCI’s anti-corruption security unit and now it is being probed by Rajasthan Police’s CID. The T20 tournament involved cricket players and was telecast live on Neo Sports.
According to the report, Patel had links with the person who is said to be running the “organised cricket racket”, and the person also partially funded the T20 tournament.
In July 2017, laptops, mobiles, cash and walkie-talkie were recovered from the hotel and the police had arrested 14 people including organisers, players, umpires and alleged bookies. The case was transferred to CID and the 14 arrested are out on bail since.
Pankaj Kumar Singh, additional DGP CID (Crime), told Indian Express that the police were following all leads.
“We are currently probing links between private entities, those who are part of the cricket fraternity and officials. We will take action if there is evidence that links them to corruption.”
However, he refused to share any details of the possible involvement of an Indian cricketer in the racket.
Earlier, former Sri Lanka skipper Arjuna Ranatunga, who had led Islanders in winning 1996 World Cup, had asked ICC WC 2011 final to be investigated.
