- IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal clarifies no honey-trap incident occurred.
- Dhumal states IPL 2026 has been a clean tournament.
- Tournament to conclude on Sunday with final between RCB and one of GT/RR.
IPL 2026 Honey-Trap Row: A recent controversy surrounding comments made by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia during IPL 2026 has now received clarification from Arun Dhumal. The discussion erupted earlier this month after Saikia reportedly used the phrase “honey-trap” while addressing concerns related to franchise vigilance and player protocols during the tournament. The remarks quickly gained attention online and triggered widespread debate across social media platforms, with fans questioning whether any such incidents had taken place during the ongoing IPL season.
However, IPL governing council chairman Arun Dhumal has now stated that no such issue has surfaced during IPL 2026.
Arun Dhumal Says IPL 2026 Has Been “Very Clean”
Speaking to Times Of India, Dhumal dismissed speculation surrounding any major controversy linked to players or franchises.
“There has been no issue as such with regard to honey-trapping or things like that, to my knowledge. This is a very clean tournament,”
The IPL chairman also acknowledged that a few smaller incidents did occur during the season but insisted they were isolated matters.
“Yes, there have been some issues. For example, the Riyan Parag incident (vaping controversy), which we could have avoided. Barring that, I don’t think there was any such incident,”
Dhumal further clarified that he was not directly aware of the specific context behind Saikia’s remarks.
“I am not privy to any such information either. He would be the best person to comment on that. But nothing of the sort has happened in this edition, as far as my understanding and knowledge go. I haven’t heard his comment, so I would not want to comment on that.”
IPL 2026 Heads Towards Grand Finale
The tournament is now nearing its conclusion, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) already securing a place in the IPL 2026 final after a dominant victory in Qualifier 1.
The second finalist will be decided when Gujarat Titans face Rajasthan Royals in the Qualifier 2 clash on Friday.
As the competition reaches its business end, the focus remains firmly on cricket, with IPL officials keen to move past the controversy surrounding the earlier comments.
