The former off-spinner admitted to corruption charges related to the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup
February 13, 2025: In a historic yet unfortunate event, Bangladesh’s Shohely Akhter has become the first female cricketer to be banned by the ICC for match-fixing. The 36-year-old off-spinner, who played two ODIs and 13 T20Is for Bangladesh, received a five-year ban after admitting to multiple violations of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code during the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa.
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Details of the Charges Against Shohely Akhter
Although Shohely was not part of Bangladesh’s squad for the tournament, the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) found her guilty of attempting to fix matches through a corrupt approach made during the event. She admitted to breaching Articles 2.1.1, 2.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.4.4, and 2.4.7 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and accepted the five-year ban, effective February 10, 2025.
Investigation Details and Corrupt Approach
The ACU investigation focused on Shohely’s communication with another cricketer, identified as ‘Player A’, on February 14, 2023, through Facebook Messenger.
- Shohely reportedly attempted to persuade her teammate to engage in match-fixing ahead of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup match against Australia on February 14, 2023.
- She claimed that her ‘cousin’, who bets on cricket, had asked if the player could get out hit wicket during the game.
- She offered the player 2 million Bangladeshi Takas (approximately USD 18,000) for carrying out the fix, stating that the money would come from the winnings of her cousin’s betting activities.
- Shohely even offered a higher amount if the player was not satisfied with the initial offer and assured complete secrecy, advising the teammate to delete all messages after reading.
Player Rejects Fixing Offer, Reports to ICC ACU
The approached player refused to participate in the corruption and instead immediately reported the offer to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). Despite Shohely deleting her messages from her device, the player saved all the voice notes as evidence, which were later retrieved during the ICC’s investigation.
First Female Cricketer Banned for Corruption
With this ruling, Shohely Akhter becomes the first-ever woman cricketer to be banned for match-fixing, marking a significant moment in cricket’s fight against corruption. The ICC continues to enforce strict measures to ensure the integrity of the sport, especially with global tournaments like the Women’s T20 World Cup and the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Stay tuned for more updates on cricket corruption cases and ICC’s stance on match-fixing. 🏏🚨
Tags: Shohely Akhter, Bangladesh Women’s Cricket, ICC Ban, Match-Fixing Scandal, Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, Cricket Corruption, ICC Anti-Corruption Code, Bangladesh Cricket Board