The alleged links between the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and the match-fixing scandal have emerged as the central controversy surrounding Cricket Canada. According to a report by CBC News, threats and intimidation may have influenced team decisions during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Canadian captain Dilpreet Bajwa is at the center of the matter. His appointment has come into question, with claims that players were pressured into supporting him. Some were reportedly warned of dire consequences if they did not support certain players.

“So he just said these words to them, ‘You’ve got to take care of these guys. These guys shouldn’t be taken off the team. If they do, you’re in trouble.’ Obviously this was very scary for her,” a source identified as Noah said.

This situation has now drawn the attention of the International Cricket CouncilWhich has started investigating possible violations of its anti-corruption rules. One of the matches being focused on is Canada’s World Cup match against New Zealand in Chennai.

“We cannot comment on the substance of the allegations at this stage,” said Andrew Effgrave, the ICC’s interim integrity chief.

What is the Canada match fixing scandal?

The controversy began when a documentary highlighted issues within Cricket Canada such as poor governance, questionable team selection and possible match fixing.

One match under focus is Canada’s loss to New Zealand, where they failed to defend 173 runs. One particular over bowled by Bajwa has caught the attention, scoring 15 runs including a no-ball and a wide.

The leaked phone recording also contains claims related to former coach Khurram Chauhan, who reportedly said that board members had put pressure on him regarding team selection. The recording also mentions possible fixing attempts, but these claims have yet to be proven.

Former coach Pubudu Dassanayake has also made similar allegations and is currently taking legal action against the board.

How is Bishnoi gang involved in Canada cricket scandal?

The most serious claims involve the alleged role of the Bishnoi gang in influencing players through threats. According to the report, some players were contacted and asked to support certain people in the team.

“We know you won’t be able to run away from the Bishnoi group where you live,” Noah said, describing one of the threatening messages.

According to the allegations, the aim was to ensure that Bajwa became the captain and that certain players were not dropped. The situation created fear within the team and even affected the officials, with some seeking police protection and others quitting.

The investigation is still ongoing, but the case has already raised major questions about player safety and the integrity of cricket in Canada.

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Prince Yadav of Lucknow Super Giants (AP Photo)

New Chandigarh: It was a long time ago when Prince Yadav had to face frequent beatings from his father for roaming around the neighborhood to play tennis-ball cricket. Until the age of 17, Prince played every tennis-ball cricket match in Daryapur Khurd, a village beyond Najafgarh, Virender Sehwag’s birthplace, on the south-western outskirts of the capital.“Bahut maar khata tha ghar par. (I used to be beaten a lot at home),” says the LSG fast bowler with a mischievous smile during a chat with TOI.Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!At first glance it is difficult to imagine Prince as a fast bowler. He does not stand very tall and his extremely lean body can be very deceiving. His father (retired Railway Police Force personnel) had legitimate concerns. The family’s income was largely dependent on wheat farming, perhaps the Prince did not seem to be adding anything to it. But the irony is that he is still playing tennis-ball cricket at the age of 24, while he is fast becoming a standout uncapped Indian fast bowler in the IPL.“Even after coming back from last year’s IPL, I still play tennis-ball cricket. I can’t speak for everyone, but it helps me with my arm speed because you need to put in a lot of effort to bowl fast with a tennis ball. The yorker feels strong (you can bowl fast yorkers),” he says, before quickly adding, “Whenever I get a break from cricket, I go to the fields. I love farming. We did some. Had harvested wheat the day before.”ipl 2026: Best bowling average and strike rate (minimum 10 wickets)

On Sunday, Prince came out of the carnage inflicted by the Punjab Kings batsmen with figures of 2/25 in his four overs. He is known for his yorkers in Delhi cricket. However, this year he looks like a more all-round bowler. LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun claims he has all the ingredients to make him a special fast bowler. “We have seen that he can swing the ball and he has variety as well. He has a good variety of slower balls and yorkers. And whenever he gets a chance to bowl, he works very hard to hone his skills,” says Arun.Prince has been learning the job ever since he was picked up by former Delhi cricketer Lalit Yadav, who insisted he join an academy 15 kilometers from his home at the age of 17. And during LSG’s practice session, it’s impossible to see the Prince far away from you. Mohammed Shami. He would go to Shami after each delivery and demand a nod.“You should get a chance to bowl with a player like Shami. He is always with all the young fast bowlers. Whenever we are not practicing he will talk about life off the field.” He goes out with us,” Prince gushes. “I can’t share what he says because those things are very private.”“After the last IPL, I was in constant touch zaheer khan (LSG mentor last year). I have spent a lot of time with Ishant Sharma in the Delhi state team. Ever since I came to Delhi cricket, I have been learning only about the art of fast bowling.Everything seems to be happening fast for Prince at the moment. But he was dealt a blow when the BCCI banned him for two years on charges of age falsification after playing Under-19 cricket within a year of playing hard ball in 2020. “That was a very bad phase. My family supported me because they understood that I could do something in my life by playing cricket. The former Delhi fast bowler Pradeep Sangwan Came to me and said that he would train me during that time. For two years I quietly trained with him and played tennis-ball cricket. That’s why I was able to take the field immediately after the ban ended,” recalls Prince.Prince is now in BCCI’s shortlist of targeted fast bowlers. He is seen as a potential player who can take India’s fast bowling forward. But for now, he is happy to see his family happy watching him play cricket.

India recently celebrated winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, but in typical fashion, cricket has already moved on. It feels very similar to 2024, when the confetti settled, Rohit Sharma bid farewell to his T20I career and Rahul Dravid stepped aside, quietly initiating a reset. Now, it seems history is preparing a sequel, with Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer waiting in the wings like a very confident student in his mid-30s.

Honestly speaking, captaincy is not an issue. Not when Suryakumar becomes the first captain to successfully defend the Men’s T20 World Cup title. That’s a legacy thing. The real plot twist lies elsewhere, right off the bat.

Yes, there was a brilliant inning of 84 against the USA, an innings that reminds you why he is a box-office favorite. But the eight innings after that? Only 158 runs. A quiet stretch, ending in a nil against New Zealand in the final. Not exactly the repetition you’d expect.

And now comes the interesting thing. A UK tour later this year, with a subplot building quietly in the background. Because this is not just another bilateral series, it may very well decide what happens next. With the Los Angeles Olympics and the 2028 T20 World Cup around the corner, every innings starts to carry a little more weight.

Which brings us to the man waiting in the shadows. Shreyas Iyer. In form, in control, and increasingly ticking the boxes for leadership in the shorter format. If Suryakumar finds his rhythm again, the script remains intact. If not, India already has a ready alternative.

Captain Shreyas kept growing

Shreyas Iyer has not shouted at all to attract attention. He is just silently collecting the results.

Think about it. Took possession of Delhi Capitals for the first time IPL Final in 2020. Then followed an even better performance with Kolkata Knight Riders, winning the title in 2024. After this, he took Punjab Kings to the finals of 2025. And in IPL 2026, That’s got PBKS sitting on top of the table. Different teams, different setups, same result. Iyer leaves things better than he found them.

What really stands out is how calm he remains when things start going wrong. No panic buttons, no over-zealous reactions. Just clear the call. Support a young player here, shuffle the bowlers there, change things in the middle of the game, without any sort of scrum. Their teams reflect this. Organized, confident, and rarely rattles off.

This is not just about IPL. Back home, he led Mumbai to the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title and didn’t forget his day’s work with the bat. In the Ranji Trophy that season, he scored 480 runs in five matches at an average of 68.57 and an average of 90.22. Not bad for someone who has managed to balance captaincy and expectations.

The selectors have also taken notice. He has been made India’s ODI vice-captain for the Australia tour and has been brought back into the T20 squad against New Zealand. They didn’t find any games there, but the message was clear. He’s back in the conversation.

And here’s the part that really stands out. Iyer has not played any T20 match since Australia’s tour of India in December 2023. Since then, he has scored 1,508 runs in 47 T20 matches at a strike rate of 171.16. No noise. Just numbers, and lots of them.

Captain Shreyas for India?

Shreyas Iyer has built a reputation as a proper player’s captain, And he doesn’t come out of nowhere. Working closely with three-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting has clearly made its mark. Their time together at Delhi Capitals, where they reached the final, only strengthened that bond and gave Iyer a front row seat to elite leadership.

That influence shows in how he handles his players. Ask Vijaykumar Vaish, who has been a part of the Punjab Kings setup. The fast bowler did not hold back from talking about Iyer’s leadership, even backing him to lead India in the near future.

“I think he is someone who has always supported his bowlers and players. It doesn’t matter whether you are performing well or not, it is very important for a bowler. He has done exceptionally well in this format and is playing for India. I am sure he will be the Indian captain soon,” Vishak said during a roundtable with India Today.

He said, “He is someone who keeps the atmosphere very light. He talks to all the players in the same way, whether it is Ricky Ponting, me or anyone else. That is one thing which has made us more comfortable. I can go and talk to him anytime. I mean his door is always open. He does not close his door.”

There was a moment last year when Iyer almost added another chapter to his captaincy story. He had a chance to become the first captain to win the IPL with two different teams, but Punjab Kings fell short in the final against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

However, the story doesn’t seem to be over yet in this season. With IPL 2026 approaching the halfway mark, PBKS is still unbeaten under his leadership. It’s early days yet, but if this streak continues and ends with a title, it will be hard to ignore Iyer’s growing case as India’s next T20I captain.

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Chennai Super Kings they’ve had a tough start Indian Premier League The 2026 campaign could only manage two wins from its first six matches and slipped to seventh place in the points table.captain Ruturaj Gaikwad He has faced increasing criticism not only for the team’s results but also for his struggles with the bat. In six innings, he has scored only 82 runs at an average of 13.67 and a strike rate of 112.33, which shows a decline in his form.