Bangladeshi cricketer Shohaly Akhter has been banned for five years due to match-fixing charges

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has imposed a five-year ban on Bangladesh cricketer Shohaly Akhter, 36, after she admitted to violating five provisions of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

In a media release on its website on Tuesday, the ICC announced that Shohaly had accepted the sanctions, with her ineligibility period commencing on February 10, 2025. The charges stem from corrupt approaches related to matches in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, held in South Africa.

Shohaly was found guilty of breaching multiple provisions, including:

• Article 2.1.1: Engaging in match-fixing, attempting to manipulate the outcome, or being involved in any effort to improperly influence an international match.
• Article 2.1.3: Accepting, offering, or agreeing to receive bribes to manipulate a match result or specific incidents for betting purposes.
• Article 2.1.4: Encouraging or facilitating other players to engage in corrupt activities.
• Article 2.4.4: Failing to report corrupt approaches to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) without delay.
• Article 2.4.7: Hindering or delaying an ACU investigation, including concealing, tampering with, or destroying relevant evidence.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been informed of the decision. BCB director and Women's Department head Nazmul Abedin confirmed to Prothom Alo that since Shohaly admitted to the charges, the punishment would be implemented as per ICC regulations.

Shohaly last represented Bangladesh in the 2022 Women’s Asia Cup after making a comeback following an eight-year hiatus. She debuted in 2013 and played three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 13 Twenty20 (T20) matches for the national team.