Dhaka Gladiators seamer from the second edition of Bangladesh Premier League Mahbubul Alam, who is among the nine to be charged of corruption by the International Cricket Council claims he is innocent and will fight the charges.
The former national seamer confirmed that he has received a letter from the ICC and BCB and that he is innocent.
“I will fight against the charges placed against me as I know that I didn’t do any crime and that I am not guilty. I not involved with any kind of fixing and I will soon appoint a lawyer to defend me and inform the BCB soon about it through a letter,” Mahbubul told the media yesterday.
Mahbubul informed that he has been charged over two matches - the match against Chittagong Kings on February 2 and in the match against Barisal Burners on February 12 this year.
It was the big no-ball against the Chittagong Kings which caught the attention of the media and led to speculation that the delivery was fixed. Mahbubul claims otherwise.
“It was after like three years that I was playing a match of international standard. I was the replacement of Mashrafe (Bin Mortaza) so I was under immense pressure. I didn’t deliver the no-ball deliberately, it was just an accident,” he explained.
Suspended national cricketer Mohammed Ashraful is the only one of the charged who has confessed to wrong doing to the Acsu. Ashraful told the investigators that Mahbubul had been involved in fixing on several occasions.
“I don’t know why he took my name and don’t want to comment on this, to be honest. I am confident of proving myself not guilty,” said the seamer.
Another member of BPL champions Dhaka Gladiators, English cricketer Darren Stevens admitted to being charged by the ICC for failing to report a corrupt approach that was allegedly made to him.
Of the nine, seven have been charged with match-fixing in the BPL, with a further two accused of failing to report approaches to fix.
"I confirm that I have been charged by the ICC with a failure to report a corrupt approach made to me during BPL2 in February this year," Stevens said in a statement released by his English county side Kent.
"I have not been involved in any corrupt activity and have not been charged with any and I am cooperating with the ICC and Acsu (Anti-Corruption and Security Unit) in their investigation and prosecution of the corruption charges in matters relating to the BPL."
The charge Stevens is facing carries a maximum penalty of a five-year suspension from cricket. He and the other individuals have 14 days in which to enter their pleas.
