London, June 4: Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has reignited debate over the influence of organised crime in cricket, alleging that fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his syndicate continue to wield enormous influence through a multi-billion-dollar illegal betting network linked to the sport.
In a series of explosive remarks made during interviews in London, Modi claimed that Dawood’s D-Company had built a vast underground betting ecosystem around cricket, one that evolved alongside the rise of the IPL and continues to pose a serious threat to the integrity of the game.
Modi Alleges Dawood’s Betting Empire Expanded to $4 Billion Per Match
According to Modi, the illegal betting market connected to cricket has grown exponentially over the years.
He alleged that what was once a USD 2-billion operation has now transformed into a USD 4-billion-per-match betting industry, with wagers being placed on almost every aspect of a cricket match.
Modi claimed that modern betting syndicates no longer focus solely on fixing match results.
Instead, they increasingly rely on sophisticated spot-fixing operations, where individual deliveries, overs, player actions or specific events on the field become the subject of betting activity.
He alleged that bookmakers often depend on subtle signals, gestures or pre-arranged actions communicated through intermediaries, making such activities extremely difficult for authorities to detect.
“The game has changed completely. Today, betting is not necessarily about who wins or loses. Every ball can become a betting market,” Modi suggested.
The former IPL commissioner said he adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards suspected bookmakers and fixers during his tenure at the helm of the IPL.
According to Modi, several individuals suspected of links with illegal betting operations were denied access to IPL venues and subjected to increased scrutiny.
He claimed these actions frequently put him at odds with powerful betting interests who had substantial financial stakes in cricket.
Modi further alleged that betting operators suffered significant financial losses when the second edition of the IPL was shifted to South Africa in 2009 due to security concerns surrounding India’s general elections.
According to him, several betting syndicates had heavily wagered against the possibility of the tournament being moved overseas and were caught off guard when the relocation was successfully executed.
The allegations once again bring attention to cricket’s long-standing struggle with betting and corruption scandals, including the 2000 match-fixing controversy and the IPL spot-fixing scandal of 2013.
Test Cricket Will Die Without Radical Changes, Says Modi
While discussing cricket’s future, Modi also issued a stark warning regarding the survival of Test cricket.
He predicted that traditional bilateral Test series are heading towards extinction unless administrators adopt bold commercial reforms.
“I am saying that Test matches on bilateral will die,” Modi said, arguing that declining viewership and changing audience habits have made the current model unsustainable.
He suggested that franchise-based structures similar to the IPL could help preserve red-ball cricket by creating stronger fan engagement among younger audiences.
Modi proposed allowing IPL franchises to own and operate Test cricket teams that could play exhibition matches alongside international cricket.
According to him, such a model would create club loyalties around the longer format and help attract viewers who currently follow franchise cricket more closely than traditional international contests.
He also advocated reducing Test matches from five days to four-day day-night contests and argued that One-Day Internationals have largely become redundant in the modern cricket landscape.
“One-Day cricket should die. Test cricket should survive,” he said.
IPL Founder Revisits Kochi Controversy
Modi also revisited one of Indian cricket’s most controversial political episodes, alleging that Congress MP Shashi Tharoor attempted to pressure him during the 2010 Kochi IPL franchise controversy.
The former IPL chairman claimed he received a phone call from Tharoor after raising questions regarding the equity structure of the Kochi consortium and the role of the late Sunanda Pushkar.
According to Modi, he was asked not to pursue questions concerning Pushkar’s stake in the franchise.
“I was told not to ask about Sunanda Pushkar. When I refused, I was allegedly threatened with a government raid,” Modi claimed.
He further alleged that he refused to sign the franchise agreement until questions regarding the ownership structure were answered.
Modi said he was concerned by what he viewed as a financially unsustainable arrangement, under which certain stakeholders allegedly received significant equity benefits without making proportionate financial contributions.
The Kochi franchise eventually participated in only one IPL season before being terminated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2011. The controversy also led to Tharoor’s resignation as Minister of State for External Affairs in 2010.
Although many of Modi’s allegations remain unverified, his remarks have once again drawn attention to the intersection of cricket, betting syndicates and powerful interests operating behind the scenes. (Agencies)
