The Abu Dhabi T10 League has come under the radar after one of its franchises Pune Devils was hit with corruption charges.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned Pune Devils co-owners Parag Sanghvi, Krishan Kumar Choudhary, and batting coach Ashar Zaidi for their involvement in corruption at the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League.
Zaidi has been banned for five years from all forms of the game while Saghvi and Choudhary received two years ban each after admitting to their offenses under the code. Their final 12-month bans are suspended and are in effect from September 19, 2023 — the date of their provisional suspension.
The Pune Devils associates are among eight members charged by the ICC in September 2023 on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) as the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (DACO) for the tournament.
The charges levied on the individual are:
Ashar Zaidi (batting coach):
Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Article 2.1 (Corruption).
Article 2.4.4 – Failing to disclose to the DACO full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
Parag Sanghvi (co-owner of a team):
Article 2.2.1 – Placing bets on the results, progress, conduct or other aspect of International and Domestic Matches.
Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
Krishan Kumar Chaudhary (co-owner of a team):
Article 2.4.5 – Failing to disclose to the DACO (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant.
Article 2.4.6 – Failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the DACO in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
