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The International Cricket Council (ICC) has handed down suspensions to Captain Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, and Qadeer Ahmed. The trio was found in violation of the ICC's anti-corruption regulations, leading to these disciplinary actions.
This news comes as a massive setback for the UAE, especially since they are hosting the World T20 qualifiers. With the tournament starting in just a few days, the team is now reeling just before their opening clash against Oman this Friday.
The investigation revealed that the suspended athletes were involved in a complex match-fixing scheme, where payments were structured based on the specific nature and outcome of the manipulation.
The plot was quite extensive, covering everything from individual sessions to the final match results. According to the ICC, Naveed and Anwar had been contacted by third parties aiming to influence the results of up to three different games.
Naveed and Anwar are accused of actively participating in or agreeing to discussions intended to rig match outcomes. Qadeer Ahmed, meanwhile, is in trouble for failing to report suspicious conversations regarding the T20 qualifiers to the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).
The scandal also involves Mehardeep Chhayakar, an Indian player based in Ajman. Chhayakar, who was previously linked to match-fixing in Harare last April, is believed to be the person who corrupted Qadeer Ahmed. Although he was arrested in Harare following an ICC ACU operation, he was eventually released.
Earlier this week, the team unexpectedly replaced Naveed with Ahmed Raza as captain, though no reason was given at the time. The ICC's Wednesday announcement finally clarified the situation. The Emirates Cricket Board has since issued a statement backing the ICC's decision, reaffirming their zero-tolerance policy toward corruption while they await further instructions.
Written by: Leon Osamor