They hired a field, set up cameras and paid locals to dress up in team uniforms. The footage is something else
A group of conmen have been arrested by police in India after creating a fake version of cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL) to trick gamblers in Russia.
Police confirmed that the people betting on the made-up league – which began three weeks after the actual IPL finished in May – lost more than 300,000 rupees (almost $4,000).
The conmen staged the game on a farm in Gujarat, paying labourers to pretend to be players. The people involved wore kits of real IPL teams and a bogus umpire was told when to signal a boundary or wicket.
As well as this, they also hired a man to mimic famous cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle.
Can't stop laughing. Must hear this "commentator" pic.twitter.com/H4EcTBkJVa
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 11, 2022
The matches were shown live on a YouTube channel called ‘IPL’. The channel never showed a wide shot of the pitch and the sounds were also fake, with crowd noise sound effects downloaded from the internet and played through a speaker.
Players were paid around 400 rupees ($5) per match, with the conmen even managing to reach the quarter-finals stage of their so-called “Indian Premier Cricket League” before police caught them.
Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for….
Footage of the Fake IPL, which somehow conned people in Russia into betting on it.
‘Chennai Fighters’ off to a solid start, pitch looking in good condition. pic.twitter.com/XtaL5W5zli
— Jordan (@JElgott) July 11, 2022
The fake umpire would then “signal the bowler and batsman to hit a six, four or get out”, Mr Rathod revealed.
As reported by Reuters, police have arrested four people in connection with the case, with the suspects charged with criminal conspiracy and gambling – given that betting on cricket is illegal in India.
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