The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has intensified anti-corruption monitoring across state-run T20 leagues after its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) detected an increase in suspicious contacts involving bookmakers, players, team owners, managers and other officials. According to a report published on August 17, 2026, the ACSU is now providing closer surveillance across state T20 competitions rather than concentrating mainly on major tournaments such as the IPL and top-level domestic matches.
The increased scrutiny followed concerns surrounding some teams in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). Sources cited by The Indian Express said certain TNPL teams had been under observation since the previous season because of suspected corruption-related activity. The ACSU reportedly believes that potentially improper contacts are not limited to the TNPL and has expanded monitoring to state leagues operating in regions including Mumbai, Karnataka, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand and others.
As part of the monitoring, anti-corruption officials are reportedly paying attention to who meets players and team personnel at hotels, movements around restricted match areas, and communications involving individuals considered suspicious. One area of concern is the Player and Match Officials Area, where access to communication devices is tightly controlled. During the 2026 TNPL season, a Tamil Nadu cricketer was barred from further participation after an undeclared mobile phone was found in the restricted area. Sources also said similar mobile-phone breaches had been detected involving players in other state leagues.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said the board’s anti-corruption unit had acted promptly in the mobile-phone case and stressed that even comparatively minor protocol violations would be taken seriously when the integrity of cricket was involved. Tamil Nadu Cricket Association President T. J. Srinivasaraj also said the TNCA was coordinating closely with ACSU officials and following required anti-corruption procedures during the TNPL.
The BCCI has long maintained anti-corruption rules for domestic cricket. Its published framework says the Anti-Corruption Unit is responsible for protecting domestic competitions by conducting education and awareness programmes, gathering intelligence, enforcing anti-corruption codes, investigating possible breaches and referring proven violations for disciplinary action. Previous BCCI reports have also documented investigations into approaches made to players in domestic T20 competitions.
The present scrutiny does not by itself establish that any particular player, owner or team has engaged in match-fixing or another offence. Much of the reporting concerns monitoring, suspected approaches and possible rule violations. Any individual or organisation accused of wrongdoing would remain subject to investigation and the applicable disciplinary or legal process before guilt could be established.