IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals In Trouble? Report Says RCA Ad Hoc Committee Convenor Accuses Franchise Of Match-Fixing After 2-Run Defeat To LSG

Rajasthan Royals' players find themselves in hot waters as they reportedly have been accused of match-fixing after succumbing to a two-run defeat against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The inaugural IPL champions have been accused of match-fixing by convenor of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) and Ad Hoc committee, Jaideep Bihani.

With nine runs to get in the final over for the Royals and Avesh Khan bowling, the right-arm speedster successfully defended it, sneaking a two-run win. Shimron Hetmyer was dismissed in the third ball of the over and Shubham Dubey failed to score six runs in the remaining three deliveries as the Royals crashed to their sixth defeat of the season.

Down to the wire! 😱#AveshKhan holds his nerve and defends 9 runs in the final over! #LSG steal a last ball thriller from #RR at the death! 🎯

Next up on #IPLRevengeWeek 👉 #PBKSvRCB | SUN, 20 APR, 2:30 PM | LIVE on Star Sports 2, Star Sports-2 Hindi & JioHotstar! pic.twitter.com/eQwV2YH4ar

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 19, 2025

Aside from reportedly alleging them of match-fixing, Bihani also blamed the franchise for not letting RCA be part of the management. He told News18 Rajasthan during an interaction:

"The ad hoc committee has been appointed by the state government in Rajasthan. It has extended for a fifth time. We make sure all competitions take place without any issues. But then just as IPL came, the Zila Parishad (district council) took control of it. For IPL, the BCCI had first sent a letter to RCA only, not Zila Parishad. The excuse given by them and RR that we don’t have an MOU from Sawai Mansingh Stadium. If MOU is not there, so what? Aren’t you paying Zila Parishad for every match?"

"I blame myself for this" - Riyan Parag

At the post-game presentation, Parag, who was captaining due to Sanju Samson's injury, said he stunned by the Royals' meltdown and said they can't expect to win if they don't do well in all three departments together. Samson said, as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:

"I don't know what we did wrong. I felt we were in the game probably till the 18th over and 19th over, actually. But yeah, I don't know. I blame myself for this. I probably should have finished it in the 19th over. But then, I don't know if that was a bad decision for myself. I mean, we [have] just got to put one game together collectively for 40 overs. Only then can we expect a win."