The Cancer of Corruption Spreads: Brokers, Bribes, and the Betrayal of Hyderabad’s Young Cricketers.
As I continue my relentless effort to expose the rot that has hollowed out Hyderabad cricket, a particularly sordid episode last week laid bare the depth of corruption and moral decay infecting the system. This case isn’t just disturbing—it’s emblematic of everything that’s gone wrong with the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA).
An anguished parent—educated, sincere, and until recently, trusting of the system—finally broke his silence. He wrote a scathing letter to the HCA Secretary, detailing a shocking transaction: a payment of ₹5 lakh to a so-called broker who had assured him that the money was part of a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) contribution for ground development. In truth, it was allegedly a bribe to secure his son’s selection in the state team setup.
The parent believed he was aiding cricket infrastructure. Instead, he was cheated—morally, financially, and emotionally. His son, a former U-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy player and a genuine prospect, was not only ignored in selections—he wasn’t even named in the probables. No explanation. No transparency. Only silence.
Worse, the man who took the money isn’t an outsider. He is a club secretary with deep access to the HCA corridors of power, and reportedly enjoys the protection of two influential office-bearers. This ‘insider’ took ₹5 lakh with vague promises, and when the parent blew the whistle, he returned only half, ₹2.5 lakh. Crucially, the money wasn’t returned to the company account from which it was paid, but to the promoter’s account.
Why the delay? Why a personal refund? The answer is obvious: this wasn’t a donation. It was a cash-for-selection scam dressed up as CSR.
Let’s be blunt—this is institutionalized fraud. It’s a betrayal of the sport and a cynical exploitation of young cricketers’ dreams.
This incident isn’t an anomaly. The club secretary involved is believed to control multiple clubs through benami proxies. Several reports—media, whistleblower inputs, and private accounts—suggest similar payments have been extracted from anxious parents across Telangana. The sales pitch? “Pay up, and your son plays for the state.”
And these aren’t mere accusations. They are backed by growing circumstantial evidence—bank trails, insider leaks, and the ever-expanding list of undeserving players getting selected while genuine talent languishes on the sidelines.
This corrupt nexus of brokers, selectors, and puppet club officials has turned HCA cricket into a black market, where merit doesn’t matter and money seals the deal.
Now, the ball is squarely in the government’s court. The State Vigilance Department can no longer look the other way. It must act—not only on SRH’s complaint, but also on the disturbing racket of selection-for-sale involving under-16 and under-19 teams.
Parents are being duped. Young cricketers are being sacrificed at the altar of greed. If the state doesn’t step in to punish the guilty and bring transparency to selections, this rot will only deepen.
The HCA AGM, originally scheduled for May 22, has now been postponed to the end of the month. Meanwhile, leagues are being delayed—possibly as a pressure tactic. Cricket lovers in Hyderabad demand answers. They expect action.
Expose the brokers. Punish the guilty. Clean up the system.
Until then, the betrayal of Hyderabad cricket continues. (Watch this space for more revelations from inside the crumbling fortress of HCA.)
