| They say cricket is an unpredictable game, but no one could possibly have dreamt up the tragic events in Jamaica against the backdrop of the World Cup, the game's showpiece event. The death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was tragic enough but now that the Kingston Police have openly indicated that they suspect foul play, the implications for the Cup and the game itself are enormous. Of the various theories unfolding in the Caribbean, the most serious one involves the possibility that Woolmer was planning to expose the nexus between Pakistan cricketers and bookies in his forthcoming book. Pakistan's shocking loss to Ireland, the lowest ranked team playing its first World Cup, has only added weight to the suspicion that Woolmer was poisoned, as Pakistan sources are saying. Whatever the final verdict, the Woolmer issue has brought to the fore the dark and ugly side of international cricket and the vast sums of money that the modern game attracts. We in India know all about bookies and match-fixing. The Hansie Cronje episode, involving the late South African captain's interaction with Indian bookmakers, was exposed by Indian investigators and is the most sensational and shameful case in world cricket. Cronje admitted to accepting money during the court of inquiry and he also named Salim Malik of Pakistan and former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin and batsman Ajay Jadeja, all of whom were banned from cricket. Two South African cricketers, Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje, are currently wanted by the Delhi Police for their role in the match-fixing saga. Even former Indian captain Kapil Dev was accused of match-fixing by a teammate, Manoj Prabhakar. In 1998, Australian legends Mark Waugh and Shane Warne were fined for revealing information to a bookmaker. The World Cup offers an even greater temptation for mischief. British bookmaker William Hill has estimated that £100 million (Rs 850 crore) will be gambled on this World Cup. More than the bookie nexus is the fact that the Woolmer episode has highlighted the enormous, sometimes unbearable strain that coaches in the subcontinent, especially if they are foreigners, are subjected to. The mass hysteria that cricket evokes in India and Pakistan is so irrational and distorted that it's easily forgotten that it's just a game. The battle for cricket's ultimate prize raises that to another level. We were fortunate to have Deputy Editor and veteran cricket writer Sharda Ugra in the Caribbean when the episode happened. She knew both Woolmer and current Indian coach Greg Chappell well, apart from a range of cricketers past and present, from various teams. Her contacts allowed her to get deeper into the story than most others. As she says: "If the reports that Bob Woolmer was poisoned turn out to be true, the World Cup could turn out to be, literally, a poisoned chalice." Hopefully not. Index
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