Former Sri Lanka cricketer Saliya Saman banned for five years by ICC

Former Sri Lankan domestic all-rounder Saliya Saman has been banned from all forms of cricket for five years following a ruling by an independent anti-corruption tribunal. The sanction, handed down after Saman was found guilty of breaching the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) anti-corruption code, which is backdated to September 13, 2023, the date of his provisional suspension.

The charges stem from Saman’s involvement in corrupt approaches during the 2021 edition of the Abu Dhabi T10 League, where he was associated with the now-defunct Pune Devils franchise. He was among eight individuals charged in connection with the case, including Bangladesh’s Nasir Hossain, who received a two-year ban earlier this year.

What are the three key offences Saman was found guilty of?

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.

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

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

According to the tribunal’s findings, Saman attempted to recruit a player for the Pune Devils with the promise of match time in exchange for pre-agreed actions in at least two fixtures, actions falling under the scope of match-fixing. The judgment was delivered by a three-member panel comprising Harish Salve KC (Chairman), Nigel Peters KC, and Justice Zak Yacoob. The panel concluded that Saman’s actions were deliberate and aimed at manipulating the integrity of the competition.

Notably, Saman was a seasoned campaigner in Sri Lankan domestic cricket, featuring in over 100 first-class matches, 77 List A games, and 47 T20s. His last competitive appearance came in the SLC Twenty20 Tournament in March 2021.