Mumbai, April 16, 2025 – The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued a stern warning to IPL players and franchises Wednesday, flagging a rising match-fixing threat for the 2025 season, running April 13 to May 25. Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) chief Shabir Hussein briefed all 10 teams—CSK, MI, KKR, others—urging vigilance against bookies exploiting T20’s global $7 billion betting market, per NDTV Sports.
Hussein cited 2024’s 12 “suspicious approaches” to players, up from five in 2023—three led to bans (The Indian Express). “One call can ruin you—report it,” he told squads, flagging WhatsApp lures offering Rs 50 lakh for overs or no-balls (Times of India). IPL’s 74-match schedule, with 13 venues like Hyderabad and Kolkata, draws 400 million viewers, making it a fixer’s playground (ESPNcricinfo). X buzzes—“Keep IPL clean!”—but some fear: “Big money, big risk” (post:2).
The warning follows CSK’s April 15 win over LSG, where MS Dhoni hit 250 matches (The Hindu). BCCI’s tightened nets—100 ACU staff, AI tracking bets—caught two 2024 culprits (India Today). Franchises like RCB, with Rs 4,100 crore brand value, face sponsor pressure (Business Standard). “No mercy for cheats,” BCCI’s Rajeev Shukla said (The Economic Times). India’s 1.5 crore cricket fans—70% IPL viewers—demand trust (BCCI). With betting illegal but thriving underground, can BCCI shield the game, or will greed creep in?
