Despite all the entertainment that the IPL has given over the years, none of us can disregard the other side of the coin which has been in focus for the last few years. From match-fixing to bettings, IPL has made cricket a great money-making source.
Here are five dark secrets from the IPL, which have continued to tarnish the tournament’s reputation big time.
- Cheerleaders: Cheerleaders find it difficult to perform in front of the Indian audience. Some cheerleaders also accused the IPL governing council to be racist, as almost everyone selected for this job are white women. They have raised concerns about how men in the stands look at them, objectifying what they wear and what they do. The team managements have not provided them a proper place to stay.
- Betting: This has been a major problem for the tournament. Every season there are so many cases of gangs betting and caught in pubs, bars and other public places.
- After-party fiascos: There were instances in the past when certain players had huge spats after consuming alcohol and also attended rave parties without the permissions of the team management.
- Commercialization: The Indian Premier League was said to bring in more chances to Indian uncapped cricketers to play alongside great foreign talents, but as it turned out, team managements have been more keep on picking sides that can win the tournament rather than giving more opportunities to youngsters who have been warming on the bench for years. This is definitely not helping them and the whole purpose of the tournament, but we do keep seeing an odd name coming out and taking the limelight.
- Match-fixing: Many players have been banned after their alleged involvement in match-fixing. This has left a lot of fans who have been watching the game for decades disappointed. This has tarnished the image of the gentleman’s game.