 "Rajasthan Royals currently are eighth on the IPL 2025 points table with just four points to their name in eight outings. Image: Reuters")
Rajasthan Royals have come up with a strongly-worded response in the form of a letter to the state government after being accused of match-fixing after their recent defeat against Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur. RCA ad-hoc committee convener Jaydeep Bihani had made the serious accusation against the Royals after they suffered a narrow two-run loss against the Super Giants despite needing 25 off 18 with 8 wickets in hand.
RR, who currently are 8th out of 10 teams on the Indian Premier League points table, had accused the convener of making the accusation without any evidence and stirring “unnecessary controversy” and undermining not just the franchise but the BCCI as well.
A senior BCCI official, however, has not only rubbished Bihani’s allegations, he claimed the BJP MLA from Sri Ganganagar is trying to create drama ahead of fresh elections in the RCA, which remains dissolved as of now.
“The RCA is currently dissolved. An ad-hoc committee has been formed, and with the elections approaching, there is a lot of drama. Everyone wants attention. The BCCI has an anti-corruption unit working 24x7 to keep bad elements away from the game. There is no truth to these allegations,” the unnamed BCCI official told The Times of India.
Match tickets the reason behind fixing allegations?
The report also quotes an RR insider, who stated that the franchise’s refusal to entertain the RCA officials’ demands for an “exorbitant amount of tickets” is the reason behind the match-fixing drama.
“At the start of the season, the BCCI gave us a clear guideline that since the RCA is dissolved, we would be dealing with the Rajasthan State Sports Council for all arrangements.
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More Shorts“The disgruntled member of the RCA ad-hoc committee and his associates are demanding an exorbitant amount of tickets, and we are not entertaining them. This is the sole reason behind all this drama,” the RR insider was quoted in the report.
Demand for match tickets was also the reason behind Sunrisers Hyderabad’s recent row with the Hyderabad Cricket Association which has since been resolved following the BCCI’s intervention.