Gautam Gambhir demands names of suspected match-fixers in Lodha report be made public

Gautam Gambhir says "One Run Of Honesty Is More Important Than 10,000 Runs Of Dishonesty”

Gautam Gambhir also took a dig at Mohammad Azharuddin for him ringing the bell at Eden Gardens recentlyFormer India opener Gautam Gambhir has made a scathing attack at match fixers and asked for the names of all the suspected match fixers that are sealed by the Mudgal committee report, be made public.

The names contained in a sealed envelope handed over to the Supreme Court by the Justice Mukul Mudgal committee is believed to contain names of eight cricketers and a popular commentator.

In November 2018, the Committee of Administrators, including Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji, asked had the Supreme Court to reveal the names of all the 9 players who were suspected of match and spot-fixing named in the Mudgal Committee report. 

Gambhir said in an interview with Republic, "Everyone needs to know, the country needs to know, and it should know. People who have done this must be punished. I think it has been a long time I think it should.  That is what the court needs to do, make the names public. If someone who has done something so wrong, in a sort where people worship you, then they must be punished.

He also stood with his view that allowing Mohammad Azharuddin to ring the bell at the Eden Gardens at the start of T20I match against the Windies recently was wrong. Gambhir had lashed out at the BCCI, CoA, and CAB on Twitter in November for allowing Azharuddin to ring the bell, despite knowing his past.

Azharuddin was one of the cricketers named by late Hansie Cronje to the King Commission inquiry. He had said that Azhar had introduced him to a bookie who offered him money to throw a 1996 Test match during South Africa's tour of India. Though Azhar had rubbished the claims, BCCI had banned him for life.

The ban on Azharuddin was lifted by Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2012 and Azhar returned to the main cricketing fold.

Gambhir had said about Azhar, "Because I absolutely believe it. Azhar should not have been allowed to ring the bell. One run of honesty is more important than 10,000 runs of dishonesty. For me, one game played with honesty more important than 100 test matches played with dishonesty. Every time before the IPL, we had to attend ICC meeting on anti-corruption where it had been mentioned there are certain names of certain players who are a disgrace to the sport and Azhar's name is right there. And we make him ring the bell.  The whole country knows about it."   

(inputs from republicworld.com)

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 04 Jan, 2019

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