All Cricket Matches are Fixed

Author: Atul Kumar
Publisher: Diamond Books
(ISBN 9789351659624, Rs 295)

Gambling pre-dates recorded history it comes as little surprise that evidence of match fixing is found throughout recorded history. The ancient Olympic Games were almost constantly dealing with allegations of athletes accepting bribes to lose a competition and city-states which often tried to manipulate the outcome with large amounts of money. These activities went on despite the oath each athlete took to protect the integrity of the events and the severe punishment sometimes inflicted on those who were caught. Chariot racing was also dogged by race fixing throughout its history.

All Cricket Matches Are Fixed by Atul Kumar claims to be written by “one who could see total fixing in cricket as clearly as the back of his hand.” The author believes that “cricket was nothing but a staged drama” and goes on to say how this can be scrutinised. The author studied and analysed all cricket playing nations held in March 2013 across the world.

Match fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. There is a variety of reasons for this, but the most common is in exchange for a payoff from gamblers. Players might also intentionally perform poorly to get an advantage. The author believes, “Police and law enforcing authorities have their own methods and their own constraints… It will therefore be wrong to expect much from them.”

Cricket’s biggest match-fixing scandal was unearthed in 2000, when Hansie Cronje admitted he had accepted money to throw matches. Soon players from other countries were implicated. Phenomenon of spot-fixing – also crops up in organised sports.

The book claims to give real life examples and data to further provide analysis of T 20 World Cup 2007 which make interesting reading. The author asserts that he has analysed mathematically and proved that session betting has been taking place in almost all international matches.

The book also claims to expose a continuing massive international fraud involving many greats of the game and many big wigs outside the game. Despite the fact that the matches are fixed people enjoy the sport. A readable and engrossing book with many revelations!

– GS Jolly