IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals' Narrow Defeat Against Lucknow Super Giants Triggers Match-Fixing Allegations- Report

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IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals' narrow two-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium has sparked major controversy, with serious allegations of match-fixing raised by a senior Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) official.

The Royals, chasing 181, were in a strong position with nine runs needed off the final over and six wickets in hand. However, a disciplined final over from LSG pacer Avesh Khan saw them fall short, leading to widespread disbelief among fans-and accusations from within the cricketing community.

Jaideep Bihani, convener of the RCA's ad-hoc committee, publicly questioned the legitimacy of the result. In an interview with News18 Rajasthan, he claimed, "Even a child could say after watching the last over that the match was fixed."

Bihani also criticised the organisational setup for IPL games in Jaipur, accusing the district council of bypassing the RCA despite earlier communications from the BCCI. "BCCI initially reached out to RCA for organising IPL matches. However, the district council intervened, citing the lack of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the SMS Stadium. But if there's no MoU, why is the council still being paid for each game?" he asked, raising concerns about transparency in hosting responsibilities.

As the Royals deal with off-field tensions, they've also been hit by a major on-field blow. Team captain Sanju Samson has been ruled out of their upcoming clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru due to a side strain. The franchise confirmed that Samson will remain in Jaipur to undergo rehabilitation under the supervision of their medical staff.

"The team management is monitoring his progress closely and will take a game-by-game approach regarding his return to action," the Royals stated.

Currently languishing at the lower end of the IPL 2025 points table, Rajasthan Royals face mounting pressure both on and off the pitch. With injury setbacks and allegations clouding their campaign, the coming weeks could prove crucial in determining their season's fate.