Sri Lanka's Zoysa banned for six years by ICC for corruption

LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI / AFP

Former Sri Lanka pace bowler Nuwan Zoysa has been banned from all cricket for six years after an International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption tribunal found him guilty of breaching its code.

The ban for 42-year-old Zoysa, who has also had coaching stints with the Sri Lanka women's team and the men's 'A' squad, is retroactive from October 31, 2018 when he was provisionally suspended, the ICC said on Wednesday.

"Nuwan played 125 matches for Sri Lanka, attending a number of anti-corruption sessions during a decade-long international career," Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager - Integrity Unit, said in a statement.

"In his role as a national coach, he should have acted as a role model. Instead, he became involved with a corrupter and attempted to corrupt others.

"Contriving to fix a game betrays the basis of sporting principles. It will not be tolerated in our sport."

In November, Zoysa was found guilty of match-fixing by an independent anti-corruption tribunal.

Zoysa was provisionally suspended in 2018 and charged with three offences under the anti-corruption code, including "being party to an agreement or effort to fix" a match.

He has also been charged with breaching four counts of the Emirates Cricket Board's anti-corruption code for players who participated in a T10 league in the United Arab Emirates in 2017 and the proceedings are ongoing, the ICC said.

The left-arm bowler played 30 tests and 95 one-day internationals from 1997-2007.

Earlier this month, former Sri Lanka all-rounder Dilhara Lokuhettige was banned from cricket for eight years due to corruption.

More from Sports News

  • Swiatek, Gauff through to Australian Open 2nd Round

    World number two Iga Swiatek advanced to the second round of the Australian Open on Monday with an unconvincing 6-3 6-4 win against first-time opponent Katerina Siniakova on John Cain Arena.

  • Sinner survives tough test, Alcaraz eases through

    Jannik Sinner launched his Australian Open title defence with a 7-6 7-6 6-1 win over Nicolas Jarry on Monday in a match that put the players' contrasting doping cases in the spotlight, while Carlos Alcaraz began his bid to complete a career Grand Slam with a 6-1 7-5 6-1 win over Kazakh Alexander Shevchenko.

  • DP World ILT20 Season 3 kicks off

    The stage was set on Sunday for the highly anticipated return of the DP World ILT20 Season 3, promising to mesmerise cricket fans across the globe.

  • Amorim sees progress in Man United's shootout win at Arsenal

    Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said his team are still improving, as Sunday's dramatic FA Cup penalty shootout victory over Arsenal points to a more positive future after a difficult start to life at Old Trafford.

Blogs