Bangladeshi man dies after physical altercation over IPL betting

Although the menace of spot-fixing has largely been eradicated, betting still continues to plague the sport of cricket worldwide. Most of the betting is done over domestic T20 leagues, especially the Big Bash League and the Indian Premier League. In an unfortunate incident, reports have emerged of a Bangladeshi man dying after a clash over betting on one of the IPL matches on Friday.

Aged 33, Santosh Kumar breathed his last in a hospital on Friday night, which was two days after the incident transpired in a district in northern Lalmonirhat. Refusal to be paid the money he won after winning the bet led to a physical altercation between Santosh and the others involved, media reports suggested.

“He bet taka 50 (62 cents) with some of friends over an IPL match on May 2. He won the bet but others refused to pay him the money, triggering an altercation,” local police inspector Mostafa Kamal told AFP. “During the quarrel, someone kicked him on the scrotum, leaving him injured. He died in Rangpur Medical College Hospital,” he said.

Nobody has been arrested so far, but police are investigating into the bet, altercation and death. Although Bangladesh has banned betting, the natives of rural areas still engage in it, especially during domestic leagues in which matches are played almost every day.

During IPL 2016, 12 betting portals were blocked by Bangladesh telecom regulators in an attempt to eradicate the menace as much as possible.

IPL enjoys popularity not just in India but among all cricketing nations in the world, especially in South Asia. Two local Bangladeshi cricketers — pacer Mustafizur Rahman (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (Kolkata Knight Riders) take part in the 8 teams tournament, which generates more attention from viewers in Bangladesh. However, this year the duo have returned home midway through the tournament to answer their national duties.