IPL players indulge in match-fixing: Yahoo! survey

MUMBAI: That the Indian Premier League is undoubtedly the biggest cricket and television property in the country is a given. However, what is also given is the fact that the tournament?s image has been severely dented due to allegations of spot fixing and match fixing.

As per the ?IPL 2012 Public Perception Survey?, which was conducted from 4-9 June by leading digital media company Yahoo! India, over 68.9 per cent respondents believe that IPL players are involved in fixing matches while 57.3 per cent believe that Indian players are also involved in unholy nexus.

The survey conducted on Yahoo! Cricket saw participation from 18,537 respondents.

The respondents also feel that IPL players are overpaid with almost 79.1 per cent respondents echoing that the IPL cricketers are paid more than what they actually deserve.

The survey throws up even more damaging findings with 66.6 per cent respondents saying that cricketers receive ?under the table? payments to play the game, while 14.4 per cent disagreeing with that notion. About 19 per cent respondents were unaware of the subject.

However, it?s not all gloom and doom for the IPL as 61.5 per cent respondents believe that the IPL format has had a positive effect on Indian cricket.

The respondent have also given thumbs down to IPL team owners with 60.1 per cent saying that the high-profile owners should rather low profile during or after. However, 36 per cent respondents also feel that team owners should be allowed to enter the stadia premises.

Should former IPL chairman Lalit Modi ever make a comeback to run the IPL show again? Well, the opinion is sharply divided with only 37.5 per cent in favor of the maverick cricket administratior?s return while a majority of 48.2 per cent are not in favour of his return.

More than half of the respondents also feel that IPL is responsible for players getting exposed to injuries.

Furthermore, the respondents were against cricketers skipping tests and ODI?s to play the IPL matches, with a whopping 92 per cent majority voting against players favouring clubs over country.

Respondents were also in favour of introducing the popular concept of player loaning similar to basketball, baseball, soccer and other sports with 41.5 per cent favouring such a rule in IPL. 56.5 per cent people are in favour of two strategic time-outs in every IPL innings.

The commentators have also been lauded by fans with 44.9 per cent thinking that cricket commentators have overall done a good job in IPL 2012.

Ravi Shastri takes the crown as the best commentator with 30.5 per cent majority, followed by Harsha Bhogle per cent and Danny Morrison 18.4 per cent.

Navjot Singh Sidhu 34.4 per cent, Ajay Jadeja 11.7 per cent, and Rameez Raja 9.8 per cent are voted as the least popular commentators this season.