Legalising cricket betting in India is no solution, say former players Manoj Prabhakar and MAK Pataudi

Legalising cricket betting not a solution to fixing, say Prabhakar, Pataudi

A trial court in Delhi may have recommended legalising of betting in cricket after spot-fixing allegations against some Pakistan's players recently. But former cricketers Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and Manoj Prabhakar feel making betting legitimate will have a very bad impact on the game.

While former India skipper Pataudi felt betting laws in the country are very incompetent, former India swing bowler Prabhakar felt it would spell doom for the sport.u00a0

"Unless the law against gambling is strengthened, legalising sports betting won't help," Pataudi told MiD DAY yesterday.

"Betting in India is pretty straight forward. There are three forms of gambling - legal (horse racing), in clubs (at low stakes), and the illegal type of gambling such as match-fixing, spot-fixing and so on. Then there is the grey market ufffd where people gamble crores of rupees during festive occasions. We are a hypocritical society in that sense. The laws are so lax, the fine if you are caught for gambling is Rs 200. I doubt there's electronic surveillance. The Delhi Police know every bookie in the city, but can't do anything about it," Pataudi added.

Prabhakar meanwhile, felt that legalising sports betting is definitely not the answer to curb match-fixing.

An estimated Rs 20,000 crores were pumped in by illegal betting syndicates during last year's IPL and Prabhakar, reckoned the move would jeopardise any chance of cricket fighting the match-fixing menace.

"Cricket will become like WWE ufffd it will become scripted. Please don't legalise betting, it will only aggravate match-fixing. It can work only if cricket can be controlled. The game is free of corruption in England and Australia. Yet, this scandal has broken out in England. There are powers outside that need to be stopped," the former India all-rounder, who is pertinently informed about gambling in cricket, said.

The 47-year old feels the three accused Pakistani cricketers could be let scot-free. "We all know who is funding the economy of Pakistan, and running the show there. There are fixers who are disguised as photographers. Nobody, not ICC, wants to mess around with such people. Why do you think no action has been taken yet? Banning these players could open up a can of worms, but will save cricket. PCB must take a leaf out of BCCI's book and take strict action. It is high time that they do."

Prabhakar is amused at the lack of action by ICC following Shane Watson's outburst over the last few days.
"I said at the time of my trail (involving match-fixing) that these ghosts will return to haunt cricket in five years. That is exactly what has happened. We need to act fast ufffd and now. Else, it will be too late. Authorities are still clueless about the people involved in this. It is organised crime," he concluded.