Dubai: UAE cricketers Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar have both been handed eight-year bans by the ICC. The ICC said Tuesday that its anti-corruption unit has found both Naveed and Anwar guilty of breaching the corruption code in January of 2021. The bans are backdated to 16 October 2019, when they were provisionally suspended for attempting to corrupt matches of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019 in the UAE.
Naveed has featured in 39 ODIs and 31 T20Is while Anwar has played in 40 ODIs and 32 T20Is. They have been charged with two breaches each, the first of which is Article 2.2.1. It stands for ‘contriving, or being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of matches in the upcoming ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019’.
“Mohammad Naveed and Shaiman Anwar represented their adopted country, the UAE at the highest level in cricket,” Alex Marshall, ICC general manager – Integrity Unit, said. “Naveed was the captain and leading wicket-taker. Anwar was the opening bat. Both had long international careers and were well versed in the threat from match fixers. That they both chose to engage with this corrupt activity was a cynical betrayal of their positions, their teammates, and all supporters of UAE cricket,” Marshall added.
Their second breach relates to Article 2.4.4, which implies ‘failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct in relation to the ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019 that would amount to corrupt conduct under the Code’.
“I am pleased that the independent Tribunal has imposed significant bans from all forms of cricket and this should serve as a warning to any cricketer who considers taking the wrong path,” Marshall informed.