Bangladesh international cricketer Shohely Akhter has been handed a five-year ban from all forms of cricket after admitting to five breaches of the ICC’s anti-corruption code, the sport’s governing body has confirmed.
Akhter was found guilty of attempting to corrupt the game by offering a fellow Bangladeshi player £13,000 ($16,000) to deliberately get out and hit her own wicket during the Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2023.
The targeted player, who remains unnamed, reported the approach to authorities. Notably, Akhter was not part of the tournament.
Reacting to the development, Bangladesh Cricket Board director and head of the women’s wing, Najmul Abedin Fahim, described her actions as “unfortunate.”
“We have zero tolerance in this regard and are making significant efforts to prevent match-fixing at all levels of Bangladesh cricket,” Fahim stated.
The 36-year-old spinner, who has represented Bangladesh in 13 T20 internationals and two ODIs, last played for the national team in 2022.
In addition to her attempts at match-fixing, Akhter also admitted to delaying or obstructing the investigation into her conduct.
