Al Jazeera released a documentary called 'Cricket's Match Fixers' alleging widespread fixing in international cricket, including claims that pitch conditions at major venues were being manipulated.
Al Jazeera's investigative journalism unit had spent years developing sources in cricket's underground economy. By the mid-2010s, cricket's expansion into multiple T20 leagues across Asia had created dozens of poorly regulated competitions where fixing networks could operate with relative impunity. The investigative team assembled evidence over several months using undercover reporters and hidden cameras.
The network of fixers Al Jazeera documented was sophisticated and global. Intermediaries in South Asia communicated with figures in the UK, the UAE, and elsewhere to broker arrangements. The documentary's most striking claims involved Test cricket — traditionally considered more resistant to manipulation due to its longer duration — and alleged that specific sessions rather than match results were being traded.
The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit had been aware of Al Jazeera's investigation before publication, having been briefed by the network as part of the journalistic process. This prior knowledge shaped the ICC's cautious initial response, which balanced acknowledgment of concerns against care not to prejudge ongoing investigations or name individuals without due process.
Al Jazeera's first documentary, "Cricket's Match Fixers," aired in May 2018 and immediately dominated cricket news globally. The centrepiece was footage of individuals who claimed to be able to fix sessions of international Test matches, with apparent foreknowledge of outcomes demonstrated in real time. The documentary named specific matches involving Pakistan and Australia.
The Pakistan Cricket Board was particularly defensive in its initial response, denying the allegations and questioning Al Jazeera's methodology. The ICC issued a measured statement saying it was aware of the investigation and had already been cooperating with Al Jazeera before broadcast. Several players mentioned in the documentary denied any involvement.
A second documentary later in 2018 broadened the scope of the allegations, naming additional matches and suggesting the corruption network had deeper penetration into international cricket than initially presented. The cumulative effect of the two documentaries sustained media pressure on the ICC to demonstrate robust action.
In May 2018, Al Jazeera released a documentary titled "Cricket's Match Fixers" that made explosive allegations about corruption in international cricket. The documentary included hidden camera footage of individuals claiming to be part of a fixing syndicate that could manipulate the outcomes of international Test matches.
The investigation alleged that pitches at some international venues were being doctored to order, that specific sessions of Test matches were being fixed, and that the corruption network extended to groundsmen and officials. The documentary named specific matches and showed fixers apparently predicting outcomes of sessions before they happened.
The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit investigated the claims but expressed skepticism about some of the documentary's conclusions. The ICC said it had been aware of the investigation for some time and had already been looking into the individuals involved. Some of the matches named in the documentary were investigated, but the ICC did not confirm that any of the alleged fixes had actually taken place.
A second Al Jazeera documentary released later in 2018 made further allegations, including claims about fixing in matches involving top cricketing nations. The investigation highlighted ongoing vulnerabilities in cricket's anti-corruption framework, particularly in Test cricket where the longer format provided more opportunities for spot-fixing on individual sessions.
May 2018 — First Al Jazeera documentary 'Cricket's Match Fixers' airs, alleging Test match fixing
May 2018 — Pakistan Cricket Board denies all allegations; ICC confirms prior awareness of investigation
Later 2018 — Second Al Jazeera documentary makes further allegations involving top cricketing nations
2018–2019 — ICC ACU conducts formal investigations into named matches and individuals
2019 — ICC charges several individuals; some prosecuted under national anti-corruption laws
Ongoing — ICC uses the expose to argue for greater anti-corruption resources and education programmes
2016–2017
Al Jazeera investigative unit begins undercover operation into cricket fixing networks
May 2018
First documentary 'Cricket's Match Fixers' airs; ICC and PCB respond
Later 2018
Second Al Jazeera documentary with further allegations broadcast
2018–2019
ICC ACU formal investigations into named matches and individuals
2019
Some individuals charged; players named in documentary not charged by ICC
2020 onwards
ICC expands ACU resources and tightens anti-corruption education programmes
“We have been aware of this investigation for some time and have been cooperating with Al Jazeera to protect the integrity of the game.”
“The fixers are no longer asking players to under-perform. They are buying information about pitches, weather, team selections — things that affect the odds without needing a player to do anything wrong.”
“Pakistan cricket categorically rejects these allegations and will cooperate fully with any ICC investigation.”
The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit investigated the specific matches named in the documentaries. While the investigations led to charges against some individuals — primarily those operating as fixing intermediaries rather than players — the ICC concluded it could not fully corroborate the documentary's most sensational claims about systematic Test match fixing.
The expose contributed to a broader reassessment of cricket's anti-corruption framework. The ICC increased funding for its ACU, expanded player education programmes, and worked with national boards to strengthen domestic regulations. Several countries tightened their own anti-corruption laws as they applied to sport. The case for a dedicated sports corruption criminal offence in multiple jurisdictions was strengthened by the publicity surrounding the Al Jazeera findings.
ICC Anti-Corruption Unit investigated claims. Some individuals were charged but the full extent of alleged fixing was never confirmed.
The Al Jazeera investigation marked a turning point in public awareness of spot-fixing's evolution. Where the 2010 Pakistan spot-fixing scandal had involved bowlers deliberately bowling no-balls, the 2018 allegations suggested fixing had become more diffuse — operating through pitch conditions, session outcomes, and insider information rather than simple outcome manipulation. This made detection harder and the Anti-Corruption Unit's work more complex.
The documentaries also highlighted the challenge of acting on journalistic evidence within legal frameworks requiring criminal standards of proof. Several individuals implicated in the documentaries were never formally charged, not because the ICC believed them innocent but because the evidentiary standard for a formal finding was not met. This gap between public allegation and legal process continued to frustrate efforts at accountability.
South Africa vs Various
7 April 2000
South African captain Hansie Cronje was found guilty of match fixing after Delhi Police intercepted phone calls between Cronje and an Indian bookmaker, Sanjay Chawla.
South Africa vs England
18 January 2000
Hansie Cronje engineered a contrived result at Centurion after rain had washed out most of the Test, later revealed to have been done at the behest of a bookmaker in exchange for a leather jacket and cash.
India vs Various
5 December 2000
Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin was banned for life by the BCCI after the CBI found evidence of his involvement in match fixing, based on revelations from the Hansie Cronje investigation.