UK Club Cricketer Rizwan Javed Receives Second-Longest ICC Ban for Corruption

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has issued a substantial ban to UK-based club cricketer Rizwan Javed, marking it as the second-longest ban ever handed out by the organization for corruption-related offenses.

Javed’s ban comes in response to five breaches of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) anti-corruption code, with the charges originally brought forward in September 2023. The severity of the ban places it behind only the ban handed to Zimbabwe cricket official Rajan Nayar in 2018.

Javed, who was also among those charged alongside Bangladesh cricketer Nasir Hossain, faced allegations of corruption linked to the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League. Unlike Hossain, Javed did not cooperate with the investigation, leading to the guilty verdict.

The ICC’s legal document revealed Javed’s involvement in matches for Cheadle Hulme Cricket Club in the Cheshire Cricket League until August 24, 2019. However, the focus of the corruption charges lay in his attempts to influence players within the Pune Devils franchise during the 2020-21 T10 season.

Emphasizing the severity of the ban, ICC General Manager Integrity, Alex Marshall, stated that Javed had shown no remorse or respect for the regulations safeguarding the sport. The ban, backdated to September 19, 2023, signifies a strong stance against corruption in cricket.

The decision to impose the ban was made by Michael J Beloff KC, chair of the ICC code of conduct committee. Javed’s case underscores the ICC’s commitment to addressing and punishing any attempts to compromise the integrity of cricket.