The IPL has been cricket’s biggest money spinner since its inception in 2008. Never since the Kerry Packer days have cricket fans seen a more colourful and enthralling extravaganza in the sport. Let’s take a look at 5 of the biggest controversies that have been rocked the IPL since 2008:
5. Harbhajan slaps Sreesanth
At the end of the Mumbai Indians’ third match of IPL 2008, Harbhajan Singh slapped fast bowler Sreesanth when the players were shaking hands. Harbhajan was banned for the rest of IPL 2008 as a result, and also fined 100% of his match fees. MI coach Lalchand Rajput was also fined 50% of his fee for not doing anything to stop Harbhajan despite being right behind him in the line.
4. SRK gets banned
After the match between KKR and MI at the Wankhede Stadium on May 16, 2012, Bollywood superstar and the owner of the KKR franchise, Shah Rukh Khan, allegedly got into a scuffle with the security guards.
3. Lalit Modi expelled from the Board
The BCCI set up a special disciplinary committee to look into the matter and it was also found later that Modi was guilty of rigging bids in the IPL. Most prominent was the signing of Andrew Flintoff in the 2009 season where Modi allegedly stopped Rajasthan Royals from bidding for him and ensured his services went to the Chennai.
2. Rajasthan Royals players banned for fixing
In IPL 2013, after a match against the Mumbai Indians on May 16, three players from Rajasthan Royals – Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were arrested by Delhi Police for allegedly fulfilling the promises made to bookies which included Sreesanth agreeing to concede 14 runs in an over.
1. RR and CSK banned for two years
Meiyappan was arrested for his offence and the whole chapter led to the two franchises being banned in July 2015 for 2 years, meaning that CSK and RR can’t play in the IPL in 2016 and 2017. The two teams will be back in 2018 when the first 10-year cycle of the IPL ends and a mega auction will take place.