ICC Bans Bangladesh Spinner for Five Years Over Corruption
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Akhter Hit With Five-Year Ban by the ICC
Bangladesh spin bowler Shohely Akhter has been banned for five years from all cricket activities after the ICC found her guilty of match-fixing. Akhter violated a total of five clauses of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code, making her the first female cricketer to receive such a suspension. The off-spinner, who has played 13 T20Is and two ODIs for the Tigers, confessed to all the charges laid against her.
During the investigation carried out by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit, it was discovered that on February 14, 2023, prior to the Bangladesh vs Australia ICC T20 World Cup match, Shohely contacted a teammate (whose name has not been disclosed) via voice notes on social media, and attempted to convince her friend to participate in fixing future Bangladesh matches. The unnamed player was asked to hit her own stumps while batting in the match against the Aussies, but instead of complying, she reported the matter to the ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit.
The breaches of the Code include:
- Article 2.1.1: Fixing or contriving in any way or otherwise influencing improperly or being a party to any agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any International Match, including (without limitation) by deliberately underperforming therein.
- Article 2.1.3: Seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept any bribe or other Reward to (a) fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any International Match or (b) to ensure for Betting or other corrupt purposes the occurrence of a particular incident in an International Match.
- Article 2.1.4: Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1.
- Article 2.4.4: Failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code.
- Article 2.4.7: Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code (by any Participant), including (without limitation) concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code.
The ICC stated that Akhter’s admission of guilt meant there was no need for a formal disciplinary process or hearing and that a five-year ineligibility ban was deemed “reasonable and proportionate” in this case. Akhter will be unable to play, coach, officiate or otherwise participate in matches sanctioned by the ICC or any other national cricket association for the duration of her ban.
