ICC Ban Sri Lankan Domestic Cricketer Under Anti-Corruption Code

The controversies in the cricketing World just keep on growing. Almost every two days, there is something new hogging the headlines as the International Cricket Council (ICC), along with the cricketing governing bodies of each country, is taking some harsh steps.
A lot of players, player agents and cricketing bodies have been in the news due to such controversies. Recently, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) banned an agent from Pakistan as he attempted to bribe the head coach of a county team to take players from his country in the squad.

He was charged with the corruption act and has been banned for five years. The ECB took strict action against him. Not only this, young Pakistani cricketer Haider Ali was suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after he was accused of raping a minor in the United Kingdom. Haider's actions resulted in irreparable reputation damage to one of the best cricket teams in the world, Pakistan.

ICC Ban Sri Lankan Cricketer Under Anti-Corruption Code

While all these developments invited different reactions from people, a fresh controversy has taken place. The International Cricket Council has banned former Sri Lankan domestic cricketer Saliya Saman after he was found guilty of breaching the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code by an ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal.

Saliya Saman was accused of breaching the Code of Conduct during the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League. He failed to do what he intended to as attempts to corrupt matches were disrupted by the ICC. Notably, he is among the eight players who were charged in September 2023. It saw ICC ban Sri Lankan cricketer as a result.

Saliya Saman's charge has been pushed back from 2023, when he was initially charged. With his ban backdating to 2023, this means that he has already served the two-year ban out of the five-year period. With the Sri Lankan domestic Cricketer banned, he has been charged with three counts: Article 2.1.1, 2.1.3, and 2.1.4, which state:

Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive, or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.

Article 2.1.3 – Offering a Reward to another Participant in exchange for that player engaging in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.

Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.

Saliya Saman played 101 games in the FC cricket and played a decent role with the bat and ball. He slammed 3662 runs to go with two tons and 22 fifties. But his best came with the ball, as he picked 231 wickets to go with seven fifers and one ten-wicket haul. In List A cricket, he slammed 898 runs to go with one fifty. With the ball, he bagged 84 wickets. In the T20s, he mustered 673 runs in 47 games to go with 58 wickets. With the Sri Lankan domestic cricketer banned, his future in world cricket has now become uncertain.

MS Dhoni files a 100 Crore Defamation Case against Sudhir Chaudhary and Zee Media

If that was the news from Pakistan, there was something from India as well. Former captain of the Indian Cricket Team, MS Dhoni, filed a 100 Crore Defamation Case against Sudhir Chaudhary and Zee Media. The case moved ahead as the Madras High Court ordered the commencement of the trial.
Dhoni, one of the best Indian Test captains, filed a defamation suit against Sudhir Chaudhary, IPS officer G. Sampath Kumar, and News Network for dragging his name in the Indian Premier League betting scam. The keeper-batter filed the case 10 years ago, and it has now been moved forward by the Madras High Court's order.