Rajasthan Royals accused of ‘match-fixing’ vs LSG; ‘Investigation necessary’, says RCA ad hoc committee convenor

Rajasthan Royals crumbled to a two-run defeat in their previous IPL 2025 fixture against Lucknow Super Giants, on April 19 in Jaipur. The match saw 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi make his IPL debut and also become the youngest player in the competition’s history. RR's regular captain, Sanju Samson, was absent from the playing XI due to an injury, and he is not expected to return to their upcoming game in Bengaluru. Rajasthan Royals' Shimron Hetmyer (L) and Dhruv Jurel look on during the match vs Lucknow Super Giants.(AFP)

Amid all this RR found themselves in a fresh controversy. RR have been accused of match-fixing against LSG. Dravid is the current head coach of RR, and they are in eighth position in the IPL 2025 points table, with four points in eight matches, including two wins and six defeats.

Speaking to News18 Rajasthan, Jaideep Bihani, convenor of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) ad hoc committee, fired shots at RR, stirring up a match-fixing controversy.

RR accused of match-fixing

The convener of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) ad hoc committee, constituted by the government, and Sri Ganganagar MLA Jaideep Bihani has raised many questions regarding the IPL.

His most sensational statement was regarding the last match of the Rajasthan Royals. He said that on the home ground, how did they lose when requiring so few runs in the final over?

Meanwhile, the BJP MLA also accused the franchise of not letting the RCA get involved in management of the ongoing IPL 2025 season. He said, “The ad hoc committee has been appointed by the state government in Rajasthan. It has extended for a fifth time. We make sure all competitions take place without any issues. But then just as IPL came, the Zila Parishad (district council) took control of it. For IPL, the BCCI had first sent a letter to RCA only, not Zila Parishad. The excuse given by them and RR that we don’t have an MOU from Sawai Mansingh Stadium. If MOU is not there, so what? Aren’t you paying Zila Parishad for every match?”

Chasing 181 runs, RR needed nine runs in the final over, with Dhruv Jurel on strike and Shimron Hetmyer at the non-striker’s end. But pressure got to the pair as Avesh Khan removed Hetmyer in the third delivery, with RR needing six in three balls then. But Avesh kept up the pressure, and leaked only three runs in the next three balls as RR crumbled to 178/5 in 20 overs.

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