# Manoj Prabhakar
**Manoj Prabhakar** (born 1963, [Ghaziabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/ghaziabad), Uttar Pradesh) is a former Indian cricketer, a right-hand batter and right-arm medium-pace bowler who played 39 Tests and 130 One Day Internationals for India between 1984 and 1996, and who later became a central figure in Indian cricket's match-fixing scandal, first as an accuser and then as a player sanctioned for his own links with bookmakers.[1](https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1770/1770.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1963, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India[1](https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1770/1770.html) |
| International career | 39 Tests (1984/85 to 1995/96) and 130 ODIs (1983/84 to 1995/96)[1](https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1770/1770.html) |
| Test record | 1,600 runs at 32.65 with one hundred; 96 wickets at 37.30, best innings 6 for 132[2](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/players/manoj-prabhakar-2406?tab=overview) |
| ODI record | 1,858 runs at 24.13; 157 wickets at 28.88, best innings 5 for 33[2](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/players/manoj-prabhakar-2406?tab=overview) |
| Honors | Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year 1990; Arjuna Award 1993[1](https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1770/1770.html) |
| Match-fixing findings | The CBI's 2000 report found linkages with bookies, receipt of money, underperformance, and introductions of foreign players to a betting syndicate[3](https://www.rediff.com/cricket/2000/nov/01full25.htm) |
| Sanction | Five-year ban imposed by the BCCI in 2000[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/print/cronje-and-azhar-and-before-and-after/) |
## Playing career
Prabhakar made his Test debut for India against England at [Feroz Shah Kotla](https://www.edgepedia.org/feroz-shah-kotla), Delhi, on 12 December 1984, and his ODI debut earlier the same year; his last ODI came against Sri Lanka at the same Delhi ground on 2 March 1996.[5](https://www.cricketweb.net/statsspider/player/450897.php) He played domestic cricket for Delhi from 1982/83 to 1996/97 and had a season with Durham in England in 1995.[1](https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1770/1770.html)
His bowling was his stronger suit. He mixed slower balls with in- and outswing with the new ball, and his best Test figures of 6 for 132 came against Pakistan.[2](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/players/manoj-prabhakar-2406?tab=overview) A useful lower-order batter, he was later converted into a defensive opener, and his only Test century, 120, came against the [West Indies](https://www.edgepedia.org/west-indies) at Mohali in 1994.[2](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/players/manoj-prabhakar-2406?tab=overview)
His international career ended in poor circumstances: he was booed on his home ground in Delhi after conceding heavily against Sri Lanka in the 1995-96 World Cup, was dropped for the next match, and announced his retirement in March 1996, complaining about his treatment by the selectors.[6](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/manoj-prabhakar-retires-from-international-cricket-1344387.html)
## The 1997 allegation and the Tehelka sting
In 1997 Prabhakar alleged that an unnamed teammate had offered him money to underperform in matches in 1994. The BCCI set up a one-man inquiry under retired Chief Justice Y. V. Chandrachud, which questioned why Prabhakar had waited years to report the offer, and [Sanjay Manjrekar](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanjay-manjrekar)'s statement contradicted Prabhakar's account of the events; the report was not made public.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/print/cronje-and-azhar-and-before-and-after/) • [7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Board-threatens-to-set-CBI-after-match-fixers/articleshow/1099772132.cms)
In May 2000 Prabhakar named the former captain [Kapil Dev](https://www.edgepedia.org/kapil-dev), saying Dev had offered him Rs 2.5 million (Rs 25 lakh; about 100,000 US dollars, or 35,000 pounds in press conversions of the time) to play badly in a one-day international against Pakistan during the 1994 Singer Cup in Sri Lanka.[8](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2000/jun/23/cricket2) • [9](https://www.abc.net.au/am/archive/articles/2000/05/29/s131954.htm) At the same time he revealed secretly taped interviews with cricket figures, recorded with a camera hidden in a bag for the website Tehelka.com, which he said showed that match fixing was widespread in India; Tehelka's editor said more than 40 hours of footage would be handed to the [Central Bureau of Investigation](https://www.edgepedia.org/central-bureau-of-investigation) (CBI).[10](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2000/may/28/cricket.lukeharding) Prabhakar later submitted nine VHS tapes to the CBI.[11](https://m.rediff.com/sports/2000/jun/05onkar.htm)
## The CBI report and the ban
Acting on a request from the sports ministry, the CBI registered a preliminary inquiry on 4 May 2000 and submitted its report on match fixing and related malpractices to the [Government of India](https://www.edgepedia.org/government-of-india) on 30 October 2000.[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cricket/cbi-report-on-match-fixing-tabled-in-lok-sabha/articleshow/1993297628.cms) • [13](https://eparlib.sansad.in/bitstream/123456789/409363/1/25868.pdf) On Prabhakar's own allegation, the report stated that the bona fides of his claim that Kapil Dev offered him Rs 2.5 million (Rs 25 lakh) to underperform had not been established.[14](https://i.imgci.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2000/NOV/058898_IND_02NOV2000.html)
Against Prabhakar himself, the report's analysis of evidence found that during his playing career and after retirement he had linkages with a number of bookies and punters, that there was evidence of his having underperformed, passed on information, received money for such services, and placed bets on cricket matches.[3](https://www.rediff.com/cricket/2000/nov/01full25.htm) The bookmaker Mukesh Kumar Gupta stated that Ajay Sharma introduced him to Prabhakar in 1990, that he paid Prabhakar Rs 40,000 before India's 1990 tour of England and later financed a Maruti Gypsy for him in return for information, and that Prabhakar underperformed in one Test in England at his behest; Prabhakar admitted buying the Gypsy but denied the financing.[3](https://www.rediff.com/cricket/2000/nov/01full25.htm) Prabhakar admitted introducing the foreign players Salim Malik, Brian Lara, Alec Stewart, and [Mark Waugh](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-waugh) to Gupta, and accepted receiving Rs 200,000 (Rs 2 lakhs) for an introduction involving Dean Jones, while denying introductions of [Aravinda de Silva](https://www.edgepedia.org/aravinda-de-silva), Arjuna Ranatunga, and Jones.[3](https://www.rediff.com/cricket/2000/nov/01full25.htm) The report concluded that his nexus with a wide array of bookies and punters had contributed significantly to corrupting cricket in India and abroad.[3](https://www.rediff.com/cricket/2000/nov/01full25.htm)
Acting on the report, the BCCI banned [Mohammad Azharuddin](https://www.edgepedia.org/mohammad-azharuddin) and Ajay Sharma for life and suspended [Ajay Jadeja](https://www.edgepedia.org/ajay-jadeja) and Prabhakar for five years each; the Madhavan panel appointed by the board upheld the CBI's findings. Jadeja later had his ban overturned by the Delhi High Court in 2003.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/print/cronje-and-azhar-and-before-and-after/) The government also moved for withdrawal of the [Arjuna Award](https://www.edgepedia.org/arjuna-award) conferred on Azharuddin, Jadeja, and Prabhakar.[13](https://eparlib.sansad.in/bitstream/123456789/409363/1/25868.pdf)
## Coaching career
After his ban, Prabhakar returned to cricket as a coach. The Delhi and District Cricket Association engaged him as a senior bowling consultant for the Delhi team in September 2007.[15](https://m.rediff.com/cricket/report/prabh/20070922.htm) In June 2009, after the association declined to upgrade his role, he became chief coach of the Rajasthan Ranji Trophy team.[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/prabhakar-to-coach-rajasthan/) He later returned to Delhi as chief coach, setting a public goal of three [Ranji Trophy](https://www.edgepedia.org/ranji-trophy) finals in four years, but was summarily sacked in November 2011, a day after publicly criticizing his players and the state selectors.[17](https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/prabhakar-sets-high-goals-for-delhi-in-ranji-84028-2010-10-16) • [18](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/print/day-after-losing-his-cool-prabhakar-loses-his-job/)
## References
1. [Manoj Prabhakar player profile, CricketArchive](https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1770/1770.html)
2. [Manoj Prabhakar Profile, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/players/manoj-prabhakar-2406?tab=overview)
3. [The CBI Report in Full, Part 25: Manoj Prabhakar, Rediff (1 November 2000)](https://www.rediff.com/cricket/2000/nov/01full25.htm)
4. [Cronje and Azhar, and before and after, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/print/cronje-and-azhar-and-before-and-after/)
5. [Manoj Prabhakar career record, CricketWeb Stats Spider](https://www.cricketweb.net/statsspider/player/450897.php)
6. [Manoj Prabhakar retires from international cricket, The Independent (27 March 1996)](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/manoj-prabhakar-retires-from-international-cricket-1344387.html)
7. [Board threatens to set CBI after match-fixers, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Board-threatens-to-set-CBI-after-match-fixers/articleshow/1099772132.cms)
8. [Azharuddin given Indian grilling, The Guardian (23 June 2000)](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2000/jun/23/cricket2)
9. [Controversy shrouds India's cricket team, ABC AM Archive (29 May 2000)](https://www.abc.net.au/am/archive/articles/2000/05/29/s131954.htm)
10. [Kapil in 'fix' sting, The Guardian (28 May 2000)](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2000/may/28/cricket.lukeharding)
11. [CBI begins viewing Prabhakar tapes, Rediff (5 June 2000)](https://m.rediff.com/sports/2000/jun/05onkar.htm)
12. [CBI report on match-fixing tabled in Lok Sabha, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cricket/cbi-report-on-match-fixing-tabled-in-lok-sabha/articleshow/1993297628.cms)
13. [Government of India, Rajya Sabha answer on the CBI match-fixing report](https://eparlib.sansad.in/bitstream/123456789/409363/1/25868.pdf)
14. [CBI's Report on Cricket Match Fixing and Related Malpractices, Section 6](https://i.imgci.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2000/NOV/058898_IND_02NOV2000.html)
15. [Prabhakar to help Delhi bowlers, Rediff (22 September 2007)](https://m.rediff.com/cricket/report/prabh/20070922.htm)
16. [Prabhakar to coach Rajasthan, The Indian Express (2 June 2009)](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/prabhakar-to-coach-rajasthan/)
17. [Prabhakar sets high goals for Delhi in Ranji, India Today (16 October 2010)](https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/prabhakar-sets-high-goals-for-delhi-in-ranji-84028-2010-10-16)
18. [Day after losing his cool, Prabhakar loses his job, The Indian Express (November 2011)](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/print/day-after-losing-his-cool-prabhakar-loses-his-job/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Cricket › Cricket people and teams › People › Men's international cricketers › Indian men's cricketers › Indian cricketers of the 1980s and 1990s*
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