Criminalising match-fixing in India will be a game-changer: ICC official

Legal experts have been advocating for years the need to criminalise match-fixing in India, the lack of which has meant that the hands of authorities have been tied.

A senior official of the ICC's anti-corruption unit feels that making match-fixing a criminal offence in India will be the "single-most-effective thing" in a country where the police are "operating with one hand tied behind their back" in the absence of any stringent law.

Legal experts have been advocating for years the need to criminalise match-fixing in India, the lack of which has meant that the hands of authorities have been tied when it comes to investigating corruption in the popular sport.

"At the moment with no legislation in place, we'll have good relations with Indian police, but they are operating with one hand tied behind their back," ICC ACU's coordinator of investigations, Steve Richardson, was quoted as saying by 'ESPNcricinfo'.

He added, "We will do everything we can to disrupt the corruptors. And we do, we make life very, very difficult for them as far and as much as we can to stop them from operating freely.

"But the legislation would be a game-changer in India. We have currently just under 50 investigations. The majority of those have links back to corruptors in India.

"So it would be the single-most-effective thing to happen in terms of protecting sport if India introduces match-fixing legislation."

With India set to host two ICC world events in the next three years, Richardson urged the Indian government to frame a legislation on match-fixing like its neighbour Sri Lanka, which became the first major cricket-playing country in South Asia to criminalise the corrupt practice in 2019.

Cricket's 'Big Three' still dominating the game both on and off the field

India, Australia and England have not only dominated the game but also have been able to strike lucrative domestic broadcasting deals.

Business Standard : They may have each had some slip-ups along the way, but it is perhaps no surprise that cricket's three wealthiest nations -- England, India and Australia -- are in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

The tournament, which will generate some 400 million pounds ($500 million) in broadcast revenues alone, is key in funding the International Cricket Council's work in developing the sport.

Yet most of the money still finds its way to cricket's richest countries.

In the 2016-23 broadcasting cycle, of which the 2019 and 2023 World Cup are the key events, some 93 "associate" or junior cricket nations stand to receive 175 million pounds from the ICC, whereas India will get 320 million pounds alone.

While the 'Big Three' are able to strike lucrative domestic broadcasting deals as well, teams based in poorer local economies such as South Africa and the West Indies are struggling to compete.

They face the constant threat of players quitting international cricket to pursue more lucrative careers in one of the numerous Twenty20 franchise competitions that have sprung up following the huge success of the Indian Premier League.

When promising South Africa fast bowler Duanne Olivier announced he was halting his Proteas career to join English county side Yorkshire, it prompted West Indies captain Jason Holder to call in February for the ICC to introduce a minimum wage for international cricket.

- 'Biggest issue' -

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, speaking last week before his side ended their World Cup campaign in the group stage, said: "Looking at the one-day side, your players that will move on from the Proteas would potentially move on to the T20 circuit.

"That will become the biggest issue for us to try and stay away from for all players. And that's including myself." New Zealand, the fourth-placed qualifier for the semi-finals, were quicker than most to adapt the realities of the modern game by allowing top players to feature in the IPL, although they were helped by the lack of a clash with their domestic season.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2019: Why India are best placed to win the trophy

India, currently ranked second in ICC team ODI rankings, dominate ICC player rankings with two batsmen and three bowlers among top 10; also, number 1 batsman and number 1 bowler are both from India.

The much-awaited International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament, the men’s cricket World Cup 2019 (50-over) is scheduled to kick-start from May 30. The cricket world cup (CWC), hosted by England and Wales this time, will see 10 teams playing 47 league matches. Four teams would advance to the knockout stage where two semifinals will be played. The winners of the semis will meet in the final to decide the world champion.

Days before the start of the 12th edition of CWC, we look at the ICC rankings for batsmen, bowlers and all-rounders, and estimate which teams will have the advantage going into the World Cup.

Check World Cup schedule here

According to the latest ICC batsmen ranking, India, New Zealand and South Africa have two players each in top 10 list, while England, Australia, Pakistan and West Indies have a player each. The India cricket team seems to have an advantage in the batting department, with the top two batsmen in the ICC rankings from the country — Virat Kohli (ranked first) and opener Rohit Sharma (second). New Zealand’s Ross Taylor is ranked third, while the only England player among top 10 is Joe Root (ranked 6th).

However, if we were to widen the list from top 10 to top 20, England would find three of its other frontline batsmen making the list — Eoin Morgan (ranked 19th), Jos Butter (14th) and Jonny Bairstow (17th). By comparison, apart from Kohli and Sharma, India have only one player in top 20 — Shikhar Dhawan (13th).

Talking of Australia, which recently returned to winning ways after a team overhaul, have only their skipper, Aaron Finch, in top 10 (ranked ninth). The only other Australian in top 20 is Finch’s opening partner Usman Khawaja (18th). At least three participating teams — Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan — have no representation in ICC’s top 10 batsmen list.

Bowlers

Indians appear to be dominating the ICC rankings in the bowling department, too, with Jasprit Bumrah ranked first, Kuldeep Yadav seventh and Yuzvendra Chahal (eighth) in top 10. Afghanistan have two bowlers on the top 10 list — Rashid Khan (third) after Mujeeb Ur Rahman (ninth). New Zealand have Trent Boult (second) in top 10, while South Africa, regarded the best bowling unit in ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, have two players — Imran Tahir (fourth) and Kasigo Rabada (fifth). Australia have only Pat Cummins (sixth) in the list of top 10, while World Cup favorites England have Adil Rashid (ranked 10th). Again, three participating nations — Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan — have none of their players in the ICC list of top bowlers.

Sundaram Ravi only Indian among 22 match officials named for World Cup

Madugalle, the most experienced match referee, will be officiating in his sixth World Cup, while it will be the fourth for Broad and Crowe.

Business Standard : Three World Cup winners and one Indian umpire in Sundaram Ravi were Friday named among the 22 match officials for the league stage of the mega event beginning on May 30 in the United Kingdom.

Sixteen umpires and six match referees have been finalised for the 48-match tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced.

Sundaram Ravi once again will be the only Indian officiating in the tournament.

He had recently received a barrage of criticism, including from India captain Virat Kohli, for failing to spot a no-ball from Sri Lanka pacer Lasith Malinga in an IPL game last month.

The opening match between hosts England and South Africa at The Oval will see three World Cup winners officiating.

David Boon will be the match referee, Kumar Dharmasena one of the two on-field umpires and Paul Reiffel the third umpire.

Bruce Oxenford will be the other on-field umpire and Joel Wilson the fourth official for the match.

Boon was a member of the Allan Border-led Australia side that won their first title in 1987, Dharmasena was part of Arjuna Ranatunga's champion team of 1996 and Reiffel was a World Cup winner for Australia under Steve Waugh in 1999.

Others officiating during the tournament will be: Chris Broad, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle, Richie Richardson (all match referees); Aleem Dar, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Paul Wilson and Ravi (all umpires).

"It is a tough job with the eyes of the cricketing world on every decision, but this group of 22 is the very best from around the world who will rise to the occasion. I wish them all the very best," said Adrian Griffith, ICC Senior Manager umpires and referees.

Madugalle, the most experienced match referee, will be officiating in his sixth World Cup, while it will be the fourth for Broad and Crowe.

Umpire Dar will be officiating in his fifth World Cup and it will be the fourth and last for Gould, who has announced his retirement after the tournament.

Gould, 61, who was England's wicketkeeper in the 1983 World Cup, has officiated in 74 Tests, 135 ODIs and 37 T20Is.

ICC welcome to take global events out of India: BCCI official on tax issue

Another BCCI official added that while the ICC claims to have an inclusive approach, it looks at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest.

Business Standard : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the recent ICC quarterly meeting was told by the world body to get tax exemption for conducting future global events like the 2021 T20 World Cup and 2023 ODI World Cup. If BCCI fails to get the exemption, it will have to bear the tax liability in hosting the showpiece events. But the move has not gone down well with certain sections within the board.

Speaking to IANS, a senior BCCI official said that the ICC was free to move the tournament out of India if it felt that was the way forward as matters related to tax needed the government's approval and external pressure would not help.

"We will abide by what the Tax Department and the Ministry decides on this. We would love for the World Cup to take place here, but if the ICC wants to play hard ball, they must be ready for everything.

"If they want to take the ICC tournament out of India, it's fine. Let BCCI then take the revenue out of the ICC and see who loses more.

"Those in-charge of administration are trying to take policy decisions without jurisdiction to do so. The ICC will find it difficult to hold the BCCI to those decisions since a lot of these decisions do not have the approval of the board," the official pointed.

Another BCCI official added that while the ICC claims to have an inclusive approach, it looks at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest.

"It was found earlier that the ICC had a different contract with different member boards. For example, Cricket Australia was only required to make best endeavours to get tax exemption while the BCCI was required to ensure tax exemption.

"See, this is a result of a situation where the present BCCI is found wanting. The CoA bigwig wants to show that he is in control of things and whenever that happens, the democratic functioning of an organisation is the first casualty.

"There is no way that the BCCI should agree to this. The ICC cannot on the one hand say that they aim to have an inclusive approach and on the other hand look at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest," the official signed off.