Five Indians fined for betting in Bangladesh Premier League

An anti-corruption court in Bangladesh on Tuesday fined five Indian citizens for illegal betting during the ongoing season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Cricbuzz reported.

According to a government spokesperson, the men were betting through their mobile phones during BPL matches at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. They have been fined 4,000 Bangladeshi taka each and have been expelled from the ground.

"They were involved in betting with mobile phones. We imposed a fine of Tk 4,000 for each and expelled them from the ground. They will not be allowed to watch any more BPL game this season,” he said.

The spokesperson further said that they handed a similar punishment to another Indian on Sunday. A total of 20 people, including six Indians, have been punished in the first three days of BPL, the spokesperson added.

The BPL, modeled on the glitzy and lucrative Indian Cricket League has been blighted by fixing rows ever since it began in 2012 involving players and team owners.

The tournament was suspended for a season in 2014 following revelations that former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and four others including New Zealand’s Lou Vincent were involved in fixing matches.

Ashraful was banned for eight years after he tearfully confessed on national television, but was allowed to return to domestic cricket in 2017.