New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS): Pune Devils batting coach Ashar Zaidi, as well as team co-owners Parag Sanghavi and Krishan Kumar Choudhary, have been handed bans after admitting to various breaches of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code for Participants of the T10 League by indulging in corrupt activities.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement that Zaidi has been banned from all cricket for five years while Sanghavi and Choudhary have both been banned for two years after they each admitted two offences under the Code.

The charges against the trio all relate to the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League. In each case, the last 12 months of each period of ineligibility is suspended. The bans on the trio are backdated to September 19, 2023, the date they all were provisionally suspended.

Sanghavi and Choudhary will be re-eligible to participate in cricket from September 19, 2024, while Zaidi will be re-eligible to participate in cricket from September 19, 2027. The trio were among eight players and officials charged by the ICC in September 2023 on behalf of the ECB as the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (DACO) for the purposes of the ECB’s Code for the tournament.

Charges admitted by Zaidi relate to breach of Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Article 2.1 (Corruption). He’s also charged with breaching 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.

Sanghvi has been charged under Article 2.2.1 - Placing bets on the results, progress, conduct or other aspect of International and Domestic Matches, and 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.

Chaudhary admitted to breaches of 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.

He was also charged under 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.