New Delhi: Match fixing menace is back to haunt cricket again. But this time it is not the players, but umpires. Umpires who are responsible for safeguarding the rules and regulations of the game were caught negotiating terms with undercover reporters in a sting operation by an Indian news channel.

A sting operation conducted by India TV which they codenamed as ‘Operation World Cup’ has revealed that umpires were willing to take money in the recently-concluded World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Premier League in August.

India TV, which had earlier busted the corruption scandal in Indian Premier League have video footage which shows that six Nadeem Ghauri and Anees Siddiqui of Pakistan, Nadir Shah of Bangladesh, and Gamini Dissanayake, Maurice Winston and Sagara Gallage of Lanka are willing to take bribe and give wrong decision.

ICC has ordered a probe into the matter and said through a release urged India TV to turnover any information to them which can assist investigations.

“The ICC and its relevant members have been made aware of the allegations made by India TV. The ICC reiterates its zero-tolerance towards corruption whether alleged against players or officials. The ICC confirms that none of the umpires named were involved in any of the official games of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka,” said the release.

By Indian Sports News Network