Most corrupt bookies in international cricket are Indians: ICC official

New Delhi, October 18

A top International Cricket Council official says that most of the bookies indulging in corrupt practices have repeatedly turned out to be Indian during the course of its several investigations.

ICC Anti-Corruption Unit GM Alex Marshall, while speaking about the world body’s ongoing investigations into the corruption in Sri Lanka Cricket, said in the island nation’s case, it has been a case of both local and Indian corruptors.

“In Sri Lanka it was both local and Indian corruptors. In most other parts of the world it is mostly corrupt Indian bookies,” Marshall told ‘ESPNCricinfo’.

The ICC has charged legendary Sanath Jayasuriya with non-cooperation in its ongoing investigations into Sri Lankan cricket.

Recently ICC’s ACU shared information about active corruptors with England and Sri Lankan cricketers, currently involved in a limited overs series.

Marshall’s assertion is not a surprise given that Indian bookies were at the center of the 2000 match-fixing scandal that shook the core of the game.

“During the briefing (to England and Sri Lanka players), we showed names and pictures of active corruptors in cricket who were trying to get at players both in Sri Lanka and at tournaments elsewhere in the world,” Marshall said.

“So we have openly shared the current information of active corruptors, we have shown their pictures, given their names and details. This way we felt the players are better informed. The exercise has already lead to new information coming forward from the teams.”  

Marshall said that ICC is currently monitoring “12-20 active corruptors” while there is suspicion on at least six, who the players should be wary of.

“We showed them six. The pictures shown were all men, but there are a couple of women, too, involved in the whole picture,” added Marshall. — PTI