The Indian Premier League (IPL) has now become the biggest T20 domestic cricket tournament in the world. From the first season of IPL in 2008, this tournament has brought entertainment, sports, and business together. IPL has become more than a cricket tournament. (AP Photo)
Since 2008, when IPL was started, it came with the idea of entertainment and giving opportunities to young players, and it has also changed the lives of many players. With the involvement of Business tycoons, big cricketers, and celebrities, IPL always carries the limelight. But if there is money, business, and fame, then there are also some controversies. (PTI/BCCI/IPL)
Harbhajan Singh-Sreesanth: In 2008, the inaugural year of IPL, in April 2005, Mumbai Indians captain Harbhajan Singh slapped Kings XI Punjab player (now Punjab Kings) S Sreesanth. After Punjab won the match by 66 runs, reports say Sreesanth had taunted Harbhajan, and in frustration, Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth. (Photo- X)
Shah Rukh Khan's outburst at Wankhede Stadium: In 2012, after Kolkata Knight Riders defeated the Mumbai Indians, Shah Rukh Khan got into a heated argument with a security personnel on May 16. He said the security guard misbehaved with some children, including his daughter. The Mumbai Cricket Association banned Shah Rukh for five years from Wankhede Stadium. (Photo: AFP)
Gautam Gambhir vs Virat Kohli: In 2013, during a match between KKR vs RCB, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir exchanged some heated words on the field. After a decade in the 2023 IPL, after a match between RCB and LSG, Kohli celebrated wildly after defeating LSG. They both got into a heated moment exchange again. As a result, they both paid their full match fees. (BCCI Photo)
Spot-fixing scandal: In 2013, police arrested bookie Sunil Bhatia, and the enquiry exposed his links with franchise owners, cricketers, and Bollywood celebrities. Rajasthan Royals players - Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, and Ankeet Chavan were arrested for spot-fixing with towel signals. CSK team principal Gurunath Meiyappan and RR co-owner Raj Kundra were also arrested for their involvement in betting. In 2015, the RM Lodha committee suspended CSK and RR for two years. (Photo: X)
Dhoni's anger at the umpires: Former Indian captain MS Dhoni, known for his calm and composed attitude, had an outburst in 2019 during a match between CSK and RR. In 2019, when CSK needed eight runs to win off three balls, Ben Stokes bowled a high full toss, which the umpire gave a no-ball for, but the square leg umpire turned the decision. Then Dhoni stepped into the field with anger and confronted the umpires. Later, CSK won the match, but Dhoni was fined 50% of his match fees. (Photo- BCCI/IPL)
