ICC bans UAE-based Mehar Chhayakar on match-fixing charges

ICC have issued a string of ban for UAE based players (Source: Twitter)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have banned United Arab Emirates-based cricketer Mehar Chhayakar for 14 years for his involvement in match-fixing. Chhayakar, of Indian origin, has been charged with seven breaches of the ICC's anti-corruption code. He and three other UAE-based cricketers have been banned from all forms of cricket. 

They were been provincially suspended ahead of the ICC World Cup 2021 Qualifiers. Chhayakar was found guilty of corruption in the 2019 series involving Zimbabwe and UAE. He also fixed games in the Canada-run Global T20 league.

ICC's General Manager - Integrity Unit Alex Marshal said that the governing body will not let any fixer tarnish the sport’s reputation.

"We first encountered Mehar Chhayakar through his involvement in organising a corrupt cricket tournament in Ajman, in 2018. The charges for which he has now received a lengthy ban are further examples of his continuing efforts to corrupt and damage our sport," 

The articles Chhayakar has been found guilty of breaching are as follows:

• ​Article 2.1.1 (on two separate occasions) - Fixing or contriving in any way or otherwise influencing improperly or being a party to any agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any International Match, including (without limitation) by deliberately underperforming therein.
• Article 2.1.4 (on two separate occasions) - Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1.
• Article 2.4.6 (on two separate occasions) - Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperation with any investigation carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code (by any Participant), including (without limitation) failing to provide accurately and completely any information and/or documentation requested by the ACU (whether as part of a formal Demand pursuant to Article 4.3 or otherwise) as part of such investigation.
• Article 2.4.7 - Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code (by any Participant), including (without limitation) concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code)".

Earlier, former UAE captain Mohammad Naveed and batter Shaiman Anwar Butt were handed eight-year bans in March 2021, while Qadeer Ahmed was banned for five years.

Wicket-keeper Gulam Shabbir was banned in September 2021 for four-years after being found guilty of breaching six anti-corruption codes. 

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