Betting suspect Banjo comes to IPL

A key figure in the 2000 match-fixing scandal that rocked world cricket, Hamid 'Banjo' Cassim made a sly appearance at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday to watch an Indian Premier League (IPL) match before the media forced him into a hasty exit.

Cassim, who reportedly introduced the late South African skipper Hansie Cronje to an Indian bookie leading to the infamous 'Hansiegate' episode, walked into the hospitality area of the Wanderers with two ladies in tow, believed to be family members, to watch the IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Deccan Chargers.

Wearing a white T-shirt, dark trousers and shades, Cassim took his seat and had barely settled down when a journalist recognised him and tried to rekindle his old acquaintance.

"How are you?" he asked the journalist and shook hands with him.

With other journalists also identifying him, Banjo, looked less than amused and repeatedly asked them not to pose any question, insisting he had moved on in life.

"I'm here to watch cricket, that's it," he said.

Just not interested in raking up his dubious past, Banjo insisted: "I am not talking about something I have been absolved of."

And Banjo made it clear this was not his first appearance in the IPL.

"I have been a regular here and watching many matches of IPL II," he said nonchalantly before going silent.

Minutes later, he made a silent exit, just as he had come, leaving the media in a tizzy.

Interestingly, playing in the Deccan Chargers jersey was Herschelle Gibbs, another Hansiegate character, who had deposed before the King Commission and admitted taking money from his late skipper for under-performing in an ODI against India in Nagpur.

Earlier in the IPL, much was made of Kolkata Knight Riders player Brad Hodge's presence in the hospitality suit with efforts to link it to match-fixing.

Even though Banjo claimed he has turned over a new leaf, his presence in the hospitality suit created quite a stir, questioning the organisers' effort to battle corruption in cricket.

Incidentally, the BCCI had earlier turned down an offer from the International Cricket Council to provide prevention cover apparently because hiring ICC's Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) for the cash-awash league would have cost them nearly US $1.2 million.

IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi, however, assured the organisers have put in place an efficient mechanism to deal with such issues.