Pune Devils team co-owners Parag Sanghavi and Krishan Kumar Choudhary and batting coach Ashar Zaidi have been banned by the ICC for corruption at the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League.
Zaidi has been banned for five years, while Sanghavi and Choudhart have been slapped with two-year bans after they accepted all the sanctions imposed on them. All charges relate to the offences committed at the 2021 edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League.
Each ban has a 12-month suspension period, allowing Zaidi to resume cricketing activities after four years, while Sanghavi and Krishan can return after one year.
Previously, Pune’s captain and Bangladeshi off-spin all-rounder Nasir Hossain was also banned from all forms of cricket for two years, with a six-month suspended period. Nasir can return to cricket after April 7, 2025, provided he meets the conditions of his suspension.
Earlier, the United States Cricketer Rizwan Javed was banned from all formats of cricket for 17.5 years due to various match-fixing during the Abu Dhabi T10 League in 2021.
Ashar Zaidi (batting coach):
Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Article 2.1 (Corruption).
Article 2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the DACO full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
Parag Sanghvi (co-owner of a team):
Article 2.2.1 – Placing bets on the results, progress, conduct or other aspect of International and Domestic Matches.
Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
Krishan Kumar Chaudhary (co-owner of a team):
Article 2.4.5 – Failing to disclose to the DACO (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant.
Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
The ICC further adds, “Mr Sanghavi and Mr Choudhary will be re-eligible to participate in cricket from 19 September 2024 while Mr Zaidi will be re-eligible to participate in cricket from 19 September 2027.”
