Mohammad Ashraful banned for 8 years

Former Bangladesh captain and middle-order batsman, Mohammad Ashraful has been banned from all forms of cricket for 8 years (3 years in suspended sentence) after he and eight other individuals (including three foreigners) were charged with corruption during the second season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

The Anti-Corruption committee of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) passed the verdict this afternoon at a press briefing in the national capital.

"He was found guilty of all four charges and is banned from cricket for eight years," said Khademul Islam Chowdhury, the head of a special panel set up by the Bangladesh board to investigate match-fixing allegations.

In addition to the 8-year ban, Ashraful has also been ordered to pay a fine of one million taka ($US 12,280). Ashraful's ban would be backdated to May, 2013 when he admitted of being involved in match-fixing during the second season of the BPL.

Two overseas professionals, New Zealand batsman, Lou Vincent and Sri Lankan all-rounder, Kaushal Lokuarachchi - who confessed to their wrongdoings during the inquiry have been banned for a period of three years and 18 months respectively. Dhaka Gladiators owner, Shihab Chowdhury - who was the only one proved guilty by the tribunal has been banned from all cricket related activities for a period of 10 years.

"All the four are entitled to appeal their case before the chairman of the disciplinary panel formed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)," said Justice Khademul Islam, convenor of the three-member tribunal. "They also have the option of going to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Lausanne, an international quasi-judicial body established to settle disputes related to sport," he added.

Shakil Kasem, one of the three-member tribunal which handed down the sentences, said the bans would be effective anywhere in the world. "The charges against the four were brought in accordance with the ICC's (International Cricket Council) anti-corruption code," Kasem told AFP. "As a result, during the ban period, they'll be barred from playing and all sorts of cricketing activities anywhere in the world," he added.

The other six people named by the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) have been acquitted by the tribunal.

The tribunal was set-up on January 19th by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) after the ACSU, which monitored the second edition of the BPL, had alleged match-fixing charges against the nine individuals. After investigation, the tribunal found Ashraful and the three others of being involved in wrongdoings.