The International Cricket Council, on Monday, slapped a life ban on two Hong Kong cricketers – all-rounder Irfan Ahmed and spinner Nadeem Ahmed – for involvement in fixing matches. Another cricketer, medium-pacer Haseeb Amjad, has received a five-year ban for the same reason.
During the hearing on Monday, the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Tribunal heard evidence that all three players fixed or contrived to fix matches, failed, for reward, to perform and failed to disclose approaches to fix during a number of international fixtures across a two-year period, according to the apex body.
“This has been a long and complex investigation which has uncovered systematic attempts to influence moments in matches by experienced international cricketers over a period of time,” Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager ACU said
“Their conduct was premeditated and sophisticated and each of the Ahmed brothers sought to corrupt others. The main offences relate to the Hong Kong matches against Scotland and Canada where the players fixed specific overs,” he added.
Irfan Ahmed has played 6 ODIs and 8 T20Is for Hong Kong while Nadeem has featured in 25 ODIs and 24 T20Is. Amjad has played 25 international matches so far - 7 ODIs and 18 T20Is for Hong Kong.