In a significant but regrettable event, Bangladesh’s Shohely Akhter has made history as the first female cricketer to receive a ban from the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to corruption charges. The 36-year-old player was found guilty of trying to fix matches during the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup and has been issued a five-year suspension from all cricket activities.
The Corruption Charges and ICC’s Ban
The ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) determined that Shohely Akhter breached five provisions of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. She acknowledged the charges and agreed to a five-year ban, set to begin on February 10, 2025.
Shohely was charged with breaching Articles 2.1.1, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.4.4, and 2.4.7 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, which cover:
- Attempting to fix matches or influence their outcome.
- Engaging in corrupt conduct by making improper approaches to fellow players.
- Failing to report corrupt approaches to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).
