The International Cricket Council (ICC) has handed a 17-and-a-half-year ban to UK club cricketer Rizwan Javed for his involvement in match-fixing attempts during the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 League. The ban was enforced on September 19, 2023, after Javed failed to address charges related to his participation in the league.
Javed, one of eight players and officials charged by the ICC on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), faced multiple charges under the Anti-Corruption Code. The charges included attempting to fix matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021 on three separate occasions, offering rewards to induce corrupt conduct, and failing to disclose full details of approaches received to engage in corrupt conduct.
The UK cricketer also faced additional charges for refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation. Javed's lack of response to the charges led to him being deemed guilty of the offenses, waiving his right to a hearing. Bangladesh all-rounder Nasir Hossain, another individual charged in the same investigation, is currently serving a two-year ban.
The ICC's General Manager of Integrity, Alex Marshall, oversaw the thorough investigation, which involved reviewing evidence such as communications and interactions between Javed and others. The context of the matches and the teams involved was also scrutinized.
In an official statement, Alex Marshall emphasized, "Rizwan Javed faces a substantial cricket ban due to multiple and significant efforts to corrupt professional players. The penalty aims to deter other individuals attempting to manipulate cricket at any level, emphasizing that any such endeavours will be severely addressed."
The Abu Dhabi T10 League, approved by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and launched in 2017, remains under scrutiny as cricket governing bodies take stringent measures to combat corruption and uphold the spirit of fair play in the game. The ICC's decision to impose such a lengthy ban on Javed underscores its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the sport.