The fixing scandal in Bangladesh cricket is set to reach a critical stage as a five-member ICC team led by the organization’s CEO Dave Richardson submits the final report to the Bangladesh Cricket Board today.
With little on-field activity, cricket in Bangladesh has been in a restless state for the last four months with suspicions of fixing practices having taken place at both the domestic and international levels. Names of many organizers and cricketers - both local and foreign - were linked to the scandal andmatters became more intense still after Bangladesh’s first global star, Mohammed Ashraful admitted to being involved in the darker side of the game.
According to media reports, Ashraful also disclosed a number of names to ICC investigators who he claims were also involved in fixing.
This shook the roots of the cricket and it was the highest authority of cricket, ICC, who were took the situation in hand. Several visits to visit Dhaka were made by ICC investigators and it took more than 100 days to reach the end of the string.
The five-member ICC team led ICC CEO Dave Richardson reached Dhaka with the investigation report yesterday evening and will sit with BCB president Nazmul Hasan and other high-ups soon. The visitors will share their findings and make recommendations to the BCB. The board will later form a tribunal to deal with the matter.
Suspended cricketer Ashraful, who confessed to wrong doing, will certainly be punished and it is rumoured that many others are also likely to face suspensions.
The top order batsman himself is expecting a five-year ban from cricket but is hopeful that the cooperation he has shown with investigators might lead to a lighter sentence.
“I tried my level best to cooperate with the investigation. Now if they takes into consideration, I think my punishment should come down to two or three years,” Ashraful told the media yesterday.
Ashraful who is now 29-year old expects to return to the competitive cricket after serving the punishment.
“I will be 32 after three years. I believe it won’t be the end as there are many cricketers who played and are still playing with that age. (Sanath) Jayasuria did, Sachin (Tendulkar) is still playing,” said the former Bangladesh captain.
However the result could be harsher for the right handed batsman. The last time that the BCB took action in such a case was against international umpire Nadir Shah.
In a sting operation, Nadir expressed his willingness to give biased decisions in exchange for money and the Bangladeshi umpire was banned from cricket for 10 years.
All started when ICC anti-corruption found a couple of games in the second edition of Bangladesh Premier League fishy. Investigations were made but it was mainly Ashraful admitting to wrong doing and revealing other names that led to the situation getting as big as it has.
BCB acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said to the media a tribunal is already being formed to study the case and recommend findings to the Board who will later decide the punishments of the convicted. It was further learnt that the convicted will be able to appeal to the head of the tribunal. If not convinced, further appeal can be made to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
