The Harrisons Malayalam Plantation in Varandarappilly, Kerala, is home to India’s most beautiful cricket ground, a hidden oasis in a sea of green canopy. A remote cricket ground in Kerala, India, has been getting a lot of attention online because of its unique location, tucked away in the center of a lush tree plantation. Seen from the air, the breathtaking site looks like a clearing in the Amazon rainforests of South America, but it’s actually one of the hidden gems of Kerala, aka ‘God’s Own Country’. Originally set up by the Harrison Malayalam company decades ago, as a place where its plantation workers could relax, the remote cricket ground, accessible via a narrow, tree-lined road that is invisible from above and on most maps, has become a sanctuary both for plantation employees and locals. Read More »

An international network of scammers was recently dismantled after allegedly creating a fake version of India’s Professional Cricket League, with farmers posing as players, and broadcasting games live to unsuspecting betting enthusiasts. When it comes to betting scams, the one recently dismantled in Gujarat’s countryside sounds pretty hard to beat. A criminal group coordinated by a “mastermind in Russia” allegedly created a fake version of the Indian cricket IPL, with farmers and unemployed men posing as players of teams like the Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians or the Gujarat Titans in games broadcast live on YouTube to unsuspecting betting punters in Russia. The games looked real, but the players acted on command, hitting a six, a four, or getting out as directed. Read More »