Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Member of Rajya Sabha from West Bengal Sushmita Dev on Friday wrote to Chief Minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma alleging a case of match fixing in the J K Baruah Inter District Under 19 Cricket tournament.

In the explosive letter to the Assam CM, the TMC leader alleged that the match between NF Railway team and Jorhat team that was held at DSA Ground in Golaghat was fixed to betray the Silchar team.

Dev wrote, “This to bring to your notice that in the J K Baruah Inter District U-19 Cricket Match between NF Railway and Jorhat held in Golagnat DSA Ground there seems a clear conspiracy to betray Silchar to reach the finals who were heading the points table of the tournament.”

She said that the match officials, after consultation with Jorhat captain, resumed the match after they had initially called it off as it became “practically impossible” for Jorhat to win.

After that Jorhat were handed a clear chance by the NF Railways to win the match by allowing them to achieve a run rate better than that of Silchar, thereby taking the lead in the points table, Dev alleged.

She wrote, “Silchar U-19 team was sitting at the top of the table at four points whereas the other two teams, Jorhat and NF Railways were at two points each after two matches. In the two-day match both Jorhat and NF Railways required a big victory to directly qualify for the finals.”

“On Day 2 when the match went into mandatory overs, that is, 11 overs out of 13 were played off, it was practically impossible for Jorhat to win the match. Hence both the umpires called off the match removing the bails of the stumps thereby signaling the end of the match,” she went on.

Dev added, “When the picture was clear, conspiracy began, as the skipper of the Jorhat team rushed to the ground and was seen having some talk with the umpires. To the utter surprise of all, the umpires resumed the match within a while violating all the established rules and norms of cricket.”

The TMC leader alleged, “Jorhat was given a clear chance by the NF Raways to win the match by hitting the ball like anything in just two overs. As a result of the clear match fixing, Jorhat achieved the run rate above Silchar and thereby headed the points table.”

Further expressing her disappointment, Dev wrote, “A major question which arises is that whether the umpires can restart a match after calling off the match. Sports fraternity from all corners feels that this is a complete violation of the rules of the game.

She further alleged that the coach of the Silchar team who was present there in the ground was assaulted and abused later on for raising his voice against the clear match fixing.

The TMC leader requested CM Sarma’s immediate intervention and asked him to investigate the matter personally so that the “spirit of Cricket wins”.