Limassol Gladiators suspended from European Cricket Series T10 over corruption concerns

European Cricket Series (ECS) T10 is in the news at the moment for the wrong reasons. Limassol Gladiators, one of the five teams in the ongoing Cyprus leg of the tournament, has been suspended pending an anti-corruption investigation after concerns over suspicious behaviour. Moreover, it was also considered to abandon one of their fixtures at the innings break for the same reason.

It all happened after the Gladiators’ game against the Amdocs CC on July 21. Up to $2 million are believed to have traded on the Betfair (betting website) alone during the match. When other markets are included, the amount could get multiplied many times. One major betting company is also refusing to pay out on the game.

The ICC‘s Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) first raised doubts after the suspicious betting patterns ahead of the game between the Gladiators and the Amdocs. The market was expecting Amdocs to win surprisingly when the club hadn’t won even a single game in more than a year.

Amdocs won the match after being 14/3 in the chase

Amdocs CC had conceded more than 100 runs twice earlier in the tournament. But the Limassol Gladiators could muster only 79 runs losing four wickets in 10 overs. In the chase, the Amdocs were struggling at 14/3 in the third over and looking at their record, one felt the team would not be able to chase even this score. However, what followed was shocking.

Amdocs CC went on to register their first win in European Cricket Series Cyprus T10 with 17 balls to spare. They were benefited from the Gladiators’ poor bowling as well. Rather, six wides were bowled in one of the overs with one of those going down the leg-side for four. “It was the most blatant, unsubtle, and stupid incident of fixing I’ve ever seen,” one of the traders told ESPNCricinfo.

The ECN is yet to comment on the matter, but the Limassol Gladiators will play no further part in the tournament. The schedule of the Cyprus T10 has also been shuffled for the other teams. Meanwhile, the ICC has confirmed that their ACU team is looking into the concerned match closely. It is reported that the Amdocs CC players weren’t aware of any wrongdoing.