The Indian Premier League (IPL) which nowadays is being called by its new, popular name the “Indian Problem League” has become a platform for corruption and an arena to exhibit power and glamour.

This year the IPL has had more controversies than ever before. Among the big controversies during the ongoing fifth season of the cricket tournament is a major match-fixing scandal, the fight between actor Shah Rukh Khan and the Mumbai Cricket Association that has resulted in Mr. Khan being banned from Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium for five years and recently, Australian cricketer Luke’s arrest for allegedly molesting a US citizen of Indian origin at an IPL party. The common man in India along with some intellectuals feel that the IPL is the only forum where black money can be turned to white and the involvement of high profile business tycoons and stars in this mega event is a clear indication that what the people and intellectuals say and think may very well be correct. “Such incidents hurt the credibility of the tournament,” says former cricketer Aakash Chopra. Communications consultant Alyque Padamsee says, “It’s like IPL’s ‘silly’ season. When there’s so much money involved in IPL, there are bound to be flaws and controversies.”

Former Indian cricketer Kirti Azad has vehemently opposed the IPL and has urged the government to put a check on such shows. Sachin Tendulkar who has earned a lot of fortune and fame and many other famous cricketers should boycott such games that tarnish the image of an individual and deglorify the game.

Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Jubail