Azad begins hunger strike to scrap IPL

Former India cricketer Kirti Azad on Sunday began a fast, demanding that the Indian Premier League (IPL), which has been rocked by a series a scandals, be abolished.

Azad, an opposition lawmaker, began the hunger strike outside the Feroz Shah Kotla ground in Delhi, it has been reported.

"All those who are watching, I have a question. Shouldn't there be transparency? There is too much of politics in sports. I only hope that there is some sportsmanship in politics," Azad said while addressing the gathering.

"Cricket is a religion in our country but it hurts when I get to know that youngsters want to play in IPL and not for the country," he added.

Five domestic uncapped Indian players were suspended by the Indian cricket board (BCCI) when a sting operation by a private TV channel implicated them in spot-fixing.

Within days of that, Kolkata Knight Riders co-owner Shah Rukh Khan was involved in a brawl with the Maharashtra Cricket Association officials at the Wankhede stadium and was banned by the MCA from the entering the facility for five years.

After that, Royal Challengers Bangalore player Luke Pomersbach was arrested on charges of molesting an American woman. He was given bail by a Delhi court on Saturday but cannot leave the country until the investigation is complete.

Then a bookie Sonu Yogendra Jalan alias Malad has told the Mumbai crime branch that he paid Rs10 crore to a Sri Lankan cricket player for fixing a match. He also mentioned that some Indian cricketers were also involved in match fixing, quoting unidentified sources.

The details of the player and the game were, however, not mentioned.

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