Pune Devils’ batting coach and co-owners suspended for corruption in 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 league

In a formal statement issued by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, it was officially announced that Ashar Zaidi, the batting coach for the Pune Devils, along with co-owners, Parag Sanghavi and Krishan Kumar Choudhary, have been handed bans following their admissions of engaging in corrupt practices during the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 league.

Zaidi, a Karachi-born all-rounder who, despite never representing Pakistan, carved out a notable career in English leagues due to his British citizenship, has been banned from all cricket-related activities for five years.

In contrast, Sanghavi and Choudhary have each received a two-year ban after conceding to two violations of the Emirates Cricket Board’s anti-corruption regulations.

The Pune Devils concluded their campaign in the Super League of the same edition in a dismal eighth place out of the eight participating franchises, securing a solitary victory across six matches. Their roster featured notable figures such as Tom Kohler-Cadmore, David Malan, and Mohammad Amir, among others.

Also Read: Ihsanullah Janat slapped with five-year ban by Afghanistan Cricket Board for breaching anti-corruption codes

The sanctions have been backdated to September 19, 2023, the date on which provisional suspensions were initially imposed, according to the ICC. It was also highlighted that “taking into account the suspended component of the penalty,” Sanghavi and Choudhary will be permitted to resume cricketing activities from September 19, 2024, whereas Zaidi will remain barred until September 19, 2027.

Zaidi, Sanghavi, and Choudhary were among eight individuals charged by the ICC in September 2023, on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board.

Among the remaining five, the most notable individual was 32-year-old Bangladeshi all-rounder, Nasir Hossain, who received a two-year suspension. He will be eligible to resume his cricketing career on April 7, 2025.

The charges to which Zaidi, Sanghavi, and Choudhary have acknowledged are:

Ashar Zaidi

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 anti-corruption officials the full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the code.

Parag Sanghavi

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 concerning possible corrupt conduct under the code.

Krishan Kumar Choudhary

Article 2.4.5: Failing to disclose (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 code by another participant.

Article 2.4.6: Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation concerning possible corrupt conduct under the code.

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