How India's Bishnoi gang manipulated Cricket Canada and raised match fixing suspicions at T20 World Cup 2026

Allegations of crime, corruption, and possible match-fixing have shaken Cricket Canada, with the investigation claiming the influence of the Bishnoi gang inside the country's apex cricket board. The Bishnoi gang, which is led by jailed Indian gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, operates a crime syndicate that focuses on extortion and killings of high-profile individuals, among other things.

This is the same gang that is accused of killing Indian singer and rapper Sidhu Moose Wala, the murder of politician Baba Siddique, and threatening Bollywood star Salman Khan. This is the first time Bishnoi's name has come up in an investigation related to cricket corruption. It is linked to the alleged match-fixing incident involving Canada's captain Dilpreet Bajwa during the T20 World Cup 2026.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already launched its own investigation into Cricket Canada over the possible breach of anti-corruption codes. The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) is probing Canada's game against New Zealand in the group stage of the T20 World Cup. The focus is on Bajwa's over during New Zealand's chase, where bowled the first delivery for a no-ball and conceded 15 runs.

How Bishnoi gang influenced Cricket Canada

Bajwa was made the captain of the Canada men's cricket team just weeks before the tournament. According to a documentary released by CBC News, Bishnoi gang allegedly played a huge role in Bajwa's rise in the national team and may have influenced him to fix matches for them. A source involved in cricket in Canada claims in the documentary that members of the Bishnoi gang threatened a senior member of the Canadian team and asked him to support Bajwa or face consequences.

The incident happened after a match at a local tournament when players were having a dinner party. "A couple of players and a few other individuals, they came to his table. They were a little bit aggressive. They asked him to step outside the restaurant.
He's like, no. So they took him on the side. So, they straight up said this wording to him. That you must take care of these guys. These guys should not get dropped from the team. If they do, you are in trouble. If you don't support these two guys in the team, then we will tell you who Lawrence Bishnoi is. Obviously, that was very scary for him," the source said.

As per the report, Cricket Canada president Arvinder Khosa is also linked to the threats, as he is allegedly connected to the players who issued those warnings. Khosa is also said to have played a significant role in Bajwa’s appointment as captain ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, a decision that even surprised the team’s head coach.

The ICC and the ACU have reportedly questioned Bajwa for possibly fixing a match during the tournament. However, no official statement has been issued by the world body yet. Meanwhile, the report also claims that a series of plays prepared in advance for the Canada vs South Africa game in Ahmedabad to be placed bets on were available for punters to buy. These allegations have raised serious concerns regarding the integrity of the game in Canada.