Many experts and fans say that the Andhra Pradesh High Court?s ruling, that the lifetime ban from cricket for match fixing imposed on Mohammad Azharuddin by the BCCI was illegal, comes too late to be of any good to the cricketer. While that may be true in purely cricketing terms?with the ban already lasting 12 years, Azhar?s cricketing days are long over?there is much more that Azhar can get out of the ruling. The first, and probably most important to Azhar, is the clearing of his name. Though the evidence given by bookies and South African cricket Hansie Cronje that it was Azhar who brought them together seemed pretty damning at the time, the AP High Court has now ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the lifetime ban. This would be invaluable to a player?and India captain?so far branded as ?traitor?. Now that his ban has been lifted, Azhar is technically eligible for the lifetime pension the BCCI decided to award to ex-players and umpires, apart from several other benefits players are eligible for. Though the BCCI can appeal against this ruling in the Supreme Court, as things stand, Azhar is also now allowed to take up an official position as coach or join the BCCI?s administration. Expertise such as his comes rarely.
Several people are blaming the BCCI for what they consider a grave error on its part. This may be hasty. The manner in which the scandal broke across the cricketing world, suddenly bringing to the fore a dark and seedy side of what was once considered a hallowed sport, necessitated swift and stern action. Given that, short of a sting operation, it is impossible to prove that a player has taken money to alter the outcome of a game, the BCCI was right in making clear that it tolerated no interaction between players and bookies.
