After his confession of being involved in fixing, president on Bangladesh Cricket Board Nazmul Hassan said on Tuesday that the Board decided to suspend former captain Mohammad Ashraful from all forms of cricket.
“As Ashraful has confessed his involvement in fixing to the ACSU team, so he should not be allowed to play any level of cricket until we get a full report of the investigation,” Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan told reporters.
“I have spoken with Ashraful, he told me that he has confessed everything to the ASCU,” Hassan said, adding that the batsman had not disclosed details of his confession to him.
The Bangladesh official also said that the suspension was just a temporary measure and a final decision would only come after a full report on the issue would be tabled. “This is not punishment, this is a temporary measure until we get the full report. We have to take exemplary punishment for such acts, otherwise cricket in Bangladesh will be doomed,” he said.
Ashraful, while apologising to the people of Bangladesh said that he had tried to help ICC.
“I felt that I have done an injustice, so I have told them (the ACSU team) the truth at the first chance. I tried to help the ICC as much as I could for the welfare of our cricket. You all know me, I have been playing international cricket for 12 years. I did not tell them a single lie,” Ashraful said.
The International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) has been probing allegations of match-fixing during the Bangladesh Premier league (BPl), a Twenty20 competition.
The 28-year-old Ashraful was allegedly paid about one million taka (USD 12,800) to lose the February 2 match, but the cheque he was given later bounced, according to the local media. He was also allegedly involved in fixing another match 10 days later, against the Barisal Burners, which his team lost by seven wickets, the reports said.
Ashraful became the country’s youngest Test centurion in 2001 at the age of 17 and captained Bangladesh between 2007 and 2009. He played in 61 Test matches and compiled 2737 runs.