---

5 Cricketers Who Were Caught Cheating

While fixing is not something anyone wants to hear about when it comes to sports, especially cricket, the sad part is that this ugly side of sports is also something that exists. While it may not happen as often as some people think, it most certainly does happen from time to time, and many times, the people involved get caught as well. There have been many cases of spot and match-fixing in the past, with some of the most famous cricketers in the world being involved in such match-fixing scandals. This article talks about five cricketers who were caught cheating in cricket, what they were caught doing, and the punishment they faced as a result.

Cricketers Who Were Caught Cheating                                                     

Hansie Cronje

Pure disgrace to cricket, on this day in 2000

Hansie Cronje’s match fixing scandal haunted the game for years after. Cronje confessed he was not “entirely honest”. He testified to the King Commission, all details of his involvement with bookmakers in match-fixing

Thread 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/ykbyHcMdTx

— Rob Moody (@robelinda2) April 11, 2021

Hansie Cronje, once a beloved figure in South African cricket, became the face of one of the sport’s most shocking corruption scandals. In 2000, Delhi Police released taped conversations between Cronje and an Indian bookmaker, revealing arrangements to fix matches. Hansie Cronje initially rubbished these claims but eventually confessed to taking money to manipulate match outcomes and attempting to influence teammates during South Africa’s tour of India. Cronje’s admission rocked the world of cricket as this was an unprecedented scandal. The United Cricket Board of South Africa responded by banning him from all cricket-related activities for life.

Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and Salman Butt

In 2010, Pakistan cricket was rocked by a massive spot-fixing scandal during their tour of England, involving Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif, and captain Salman Butt. The trio was caught accepting bribes to deliberately bowl no-balls during the Lord’s Test. The ICC acted swiftly, banning Amir for 5 years, Asif for 7 years (2 suspended), and Butt for 10 years (5 suspended). All three also served short jail terms in the UK under criminal charges of conspiracy to cheat and accept corrupt payments. This was a very sad incident, especially for Mohammad Amir, who was just 18 years old at this time and was considered a generational talent.

---

ALSO READ: How To Win Your First ₹1 Crore On Dream11

---

Cameron Bancroft, Steve Smith, and David Warner

ON THIS DAY IN 2018:

The Australian cricket team were caught using sandpaper to change the condition of the ball at Newlands

Sandpapergate was born pic.twitter.com/qxfNhWrbaT

— Scrumming Flyhalf (@scrumming_ten) March 24, 2025

The infamous “Sandpapergate” scandal unfolded during Australia’s 2018 Test tour of South Africa and remains one of cricket’s most disgraceful episodes. During the third Test in Cape Town, cameras caught Cameron Bancroft using sandpaper to tamper with the ball. Bancroft admits that he was instructed by Captain Steve Smith and Vice-Captain David Warner to carry out the tampering. Cricket Australia launched an immediate investigation, resulting in Smith and Warner receiving 12-month bans and Bancroft getting a 9-month suspension. Warner was also banned from leadership roles for life, while Smith received a two-year leadership ban.

S. Sreesanth

Credit: Times Now

Indian fast bowler S. Sreesanth was at the centre of a sensational spot-fixing scandal during the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) while playing for the Rajasthan Royals. Sreesanth, along with teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, was caught agreeing to concede a pre-determined number of runs in exchange for money from bookies. However, the Indian pacer consistently denied the allegations, claiming he was framed and that the confession obtained from him was under duress. In 2015, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence, but his ban was only reduced after the Supreme Court of India ordered the BCCI to do so in 2019.

Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammad Azharuddin, one of India’s most elegant and successful captains, saw his legacy destroyed by allegations of match-fixing in 2000. The scandal came to light during investigations sparked by Hansie Cronje’s confession, which implicated multiple international players. The Indian star was accused of introducing Cronje to bookmakers and accepting money to influence match results. This led the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to impose a lifetime ban on Mohammad Azharuddin. The Indian captain denied all charges but stepped away from cricket, and the controversy effectively ended his illustrious career.

For more news articles and informative updates on controversial articles like cricketers who were caught cheating as well as other football and cricket updates, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com.

---

---

More News

---

Comments