A few of the 2000 India versus. South Africa matches were allegedly rigged, which brought the series under scrutiny.
Four people who attempted to rig the matches were named as suspects when the case got to court. As of right now, the Delhi Court has ruled that attempts have been made to manipulate some of the Test and ODI series’ matches. From February 19 to March 19, 2000, an international tour of South Africa comprising five days and two tests took place.
The court observed that South Africa had rigged the first Test match, which was played in Mumbai from February 24 to 28, so as to prevent any team from reaching more than 250 runs in an innings. The court further stated that Hansie Cronje was close to fixing the second Test, which was scheduled to take place in Bengaluru from March 2–6. The first ODI at Kochi on March 9 was deemed to be a fixed match, supporting the claim.
“The conversation recorded on March 16, 2000, wherein Hansie Cronje demands outstanding payment and Hansie Cronje’s statement before the King’s Commission admitting receiving money from Sanjeev Chawla, clearly prove that the 1st One-Day International was a fixed match,” the verdict of the Delhi Court reads in India Today on Monday.
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“The statement by Hansie Cronje made before the King’s Commission that he had informed Sanjay (alias Sanjeev Chawla) about losing the first One-Day International is further corroborated by the statement of others made before the King’s Commission,” the judge stated.
South Africa lifted the 13-year-old curse.
India won the ODI series with a score of 3-2, but South Africa went on to win the Test series by a margin of 2-0. With South Africa’s Test series victory, a visiting team had won a series in India for the first time in thirteen years. The final game that former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje played was the Bengaluru Test.