The International Cricket Council (ICC), the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit (Acsu) have jointly appealed against the decision of the BCB’s Disciplinary Panel which allows Mohammad Ashraful to be eligible for selection from 2016 onwards.
The organisations have also appealed against the decision of the BPL’s anti-corruption tribunal of acquitting five individuals who were accused of corruption in Bangladesh Premier League 2, but no proper evidence saw the tribunal rule out the allegations. The five individuals are Dhaka Gladiators CEO Gaurav Rawat, bowling coach Mohammad Rafique, players Mosharraf Rubel, Mahbubul Alam and Darren Stevens.
Ashraful saw his eight-year ban getting reduced to five by the BCB’s disciplinary panel after appealing to the disciplinary panel chief, Justice Mohammad Abdur Rashid, in July.
However, the ICC and BCB are not happy with the decision and opted to appeal the issue to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury confirmed that the appeal was made and according to sources within the board, the ICC and BCB firmly believe that Ashraful along with the others were involved with corruption in the game and they should receive the highest punishment, in other words a long-term ban.
According to the verdict of the BCB disciplinary panel, the five-year ban on Ashraful was dated from August 13, 2013. With the last two years lifted subject to his participation in a BCB or ICC anti-corruption education and training programme, Ashraful would have been eligible to return to cricket on August 13, 2016.