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Afghanistan Cricket Board, on Sunday, banned wicketkeeper-batsman Shafiqullah Shafaq from all forms of cricket for six years after he accepted 4 charges associated with the breaching of the ACB Anti-Corruption Code. The charges relate to the first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League T20 in 2018 and the 2019 edition of the Bangladesh Premier League.
The 30-year old was part of the Afghanistan team that led the country to ODI status. He also represented his country in two T20 World Cups. Shafiqullah Shafaq represented his country in 24 ODIs and 46 T20Is between 2009 and 2019.
“This is a very serious offence where a senior national player is involved in the corruption of a high-profile domestic game in APL T20 2018,” stated the ACB’s senior anti-corruption manager, Sayed Anwar Shah Quraishi before adding: “The player had also attempted but failed to get one of his team-mates to engage in corruption in another high-profile game during the BPL 2019.”
The following are the articles of the Anti-Corruption code that were breached by Shafiqullah Shafaq:
Breach of Article 2.1.1 – in any way or otherwise influencing improperly, or being a party to any agreement or effort to contrive or fix in any way or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any Domestic Match, including (without limitation) by intentionally underperforming therein.”
Breach of Article 2.1.3 – Seeking, accepting, to accept any bribe or other Reward to (a) fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any Domestic Match …”
Breach of Article 2.1.4 – Attempting to solicit, induce, entice, persuade, encourage or intentionally facilitate a Participant to breach Article 2.1.”
Breach of Article 2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) full information of any received by a Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under ACB Anti-Corruption Code.”
Under the provisions of the Code, Shafaq chose to admit the charges imposed against him and consented to the sanctions by ACB in lieu of an Anti-Corruption Tribunal hearing.
