Shohely Akhter, a Bangladeshi off-spinner, has been banned from all cricket for five years after she was found guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption code. The ban, effective from February 10, 2025, marks a significant moment in cricket’s fight against corruption.
Key details of the Ban:
Akhter, 36, has been found guilty of attempting to fix a match, offering a bribe, failing to disclose full details of an approach to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code (ACU), and obstructing the investigation.
The charges stem from an approach she made to a fellow Bangladesh cricketer during the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa. Akhter was not part of the Bangladesh squad for that tournament, having last played in October 2022.
The ACU’s investigation focused on a Facebook Messenger conversation between Akhter and the cricketer on February 14, 2023, during a T20 World Cup match between Bangladesh and Australia.
Akhter offered the player 2 million Bangladeshi Taka (approximately $16,400 USD) to get out hit wicket during the match.
The player immediately reported the incident to the ACU and provided voice notes from Akhter, who had deleted the messages on her devices.
During the investigation, Akhter initially claimed she sent the messages to show her friend that members of the Bangladesh team were not involved in fixing, but the ACU confirmed that those files were created after February 14.
Akhter admitted to breaching Articles 2.1.1, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.4.4, and 2.4.7 of the ICC Code.
The ICC considered the circumstances of the case, including Akhter’s agreement to an outcome that avoids the need for a hearing, and determined that a five-year ban was reasonable and proportionate.
Neither Akhter nor the ICC has any right of appeal against this decision.
Akhter has played two ODIs and 13 T20Is for Bangladesh.
