After admitting to breaching a total of five provisions of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, Bangladesh Women’s player Shohely Akhter has been issued a five-year suspension by the international governing body on Monday, February 10. The charges pertained to corrupt approaches made during games played during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa.
Starting from yesterday, she will be undergoing a period of five years of total ineligibility. Akhter breached Articles 2.1.1, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.4.4, and 2.4.7 of the Code.
According to the ICC document which comprises the entire decision, “On 14th February, 2023, prior to the Bangladesh vs Australia match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, Ms. Akhter contacted her friend and teammate, [PLAYER A], via Facebook Messenger, sending her voice notes in which she tried to persuade [PLAYER A] to agree to carry out fixes in future Bangladesh matches,” read the report, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
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“In particular, Ms Akhter told [PLAYER A] that her ‘cousin’ who bets on his phone, has asked her to speak to [PLAYER A] and ask [PLAYER A] whether she would get out hitwicket on a pacer’s delivery during the Australia match. Ms. Akhter also told [PLAYER A] that she would be paid 2 million Bangladesh Taka if she did the fix, and the money would come from winnings that her ‘cousin’ made from his bets.
“Ms. Akhter also told [PLAYER A] that her ‘cousin’ could pay her more if 2 million takas was not enough. Ms Akhter told [PLAYER A] that their conversation would be secret and it was up to [PLAYER A] whether to say yes or no. In a voice note, Ms. Akhter told [PLAYER A] that she would delete her messages so they no longer existed, and Ms. Akhter did delete those messages,” added the document.
As per the ICC, Player A rejected the offer, reported the matter to the ACU, and also provided evidence in the form of copies of voice notes that were sent to her. During an ACU interview, Akhter admitted to sending the voice messages “but claimed that she only did so in order to show her friend, [Mr Z], that members of the Bangladesh team were not involved in fixing, not because she was genuinely making a corrupt approach”.
Akhter represented Bangladesh Women in two ODIs and 13 T20Is. She will be 37 in June this year, and the five-year ban all but signals the end of her cricketing career.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this news article is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and perspective. Readers are encouraged to evaluate the details thoughtfully and draw their own conclusions.
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