Cricket must restore its glory

The arrest of three cricketers over spot-fixing allegations in the Indian Premier League (IPL) brought the game of cricket — better known as gentleman’s game — into utter disrepute and the reputation of Indian cricket was dragged through the mud.
The love for cricket in the Indian subcontinent is so intense that whenever there is a match, people from all walks of life are glued to their TV sets to know the latest score. Cricket is a very popular game in the subcontinent and many youngsters consider these international players as their role models. The notorious act has betrayed a billion fans and it is a clear case of cheating the spectators who pay hefty entrance fees to watch a fair game. This is an unpardonable act on part of the cricketers who are involved in match-fixing or spot-fixing. These cricketers are already making fortunes.
The game of cricket is losing its glory because of match-fixing and other corruption charges. It has, in fact, become a commercial enterprise. I request the authorities to please bring back the glory to this game by taking some exemplary action against all those involved in spot-fixing. Police should also expand their scope of investigation across India and abroad.
The International Cricket Council also should set strict rules to penalize all those who indulge in match-fixing. There should be zero tolerance for corruption in the gentleman’s game. — Ramesh G. Jethwani, Bangalore