2021 Abu Dhabi T10: 8 Players, Officials Charged Under Emirates Cricket Board Anti-Corruption Code; T Ten Sports Management Expresses Disappointment

2021 Abu Dhabi T10: 8 players, officials charged under Emirates Cricket Board Anti-Corruption Code; (Image Source: IANS)

Abu Dhabi T10 League: The T Ten Sports Management on Tuesday expressed disappointment over the charges levied against eight participants of the 2021 T10 tournament held in the UAE.

"We take all allegations of this nature seriously and have a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of corruption. We will continue to work closely with the ICC on our calendar of T10 tournaments and do everything within our control to ensure the integrity of cricket is upheld," it said.

Earlier, on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), the International Cricket Council charged several players and officials for breaching the ECB Anti-Corruption Code during the T10 League.

Eight players, officials and team owners are charged with breaching various counts of the Anti-Corruption Code. The charges are in relation to the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 League. The said tournament took place between 19 November, 2021- 4 December, 2021. Six teams played in the tournament.

"They pertain to attempts made to corrupt the matches in the league. These attempts were disrupted. ECB appointed ICC as the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (DACO) for the purposes of the ECB’s Code during the tournament. Thus, ICC are issuing these charges on the ECB’s behalf,' it said.

"Those charged include:Krishan Kumar Chaudhary (co-owner of a team):Article 2.4.5 – Failing to disclose to the DACO (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant.Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing or delaying a DACO investigation into possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

"Parag Sanghvi (co-owner of a team):Article 2.2.1 - Placing bets on the results, progress, conduct or other aspect of International and Domestic Matches.Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

"Ashar Zaidi (batting coach):Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Article 2.1.Article 2.4.4 - Failing to disclose to the DACO full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

"Rizwan Javed (domestic player):Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.Article 2.1.3 – Offering a Reward to another Participant in exchange for that player engaging in Corrupt Conduct. Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.Article 2.4.4 - Failing to disclose to the DACO full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

"Saliya Saman (domestic player):Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.Article 2.1.3 – Offering a Reward to another Participant in exchange for that player engaging in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.

"Sunny Dhillon (assistant coach):Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.Article 2.4.4 - Failing to disclose to the DACO full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

"Nasir Hossain (Bangladesh player):Article 2.4.3 – Failing to disclose to the DACO receipt of a gift worth over $ 750.Article 2.4.4 - Failing to disclose to the DACO full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

"Shadab Ahamed (team manager): Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code," the ICC statement read.

Six of the charged - Krishan Kumar Chaudhary, Parag Sanghvi, Azhar Zaidi, Rizwan Javed, Saliya Saman and Sunny Dhillon - have been provisionally suspended and all have 14 days from 19 September 2023 to respond to the charges, it added.