Mohammad Ashraful Banned for Eight Years for Match-fixing

New Delhi: Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful has been banned for eight year for fixing matches in the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League cricket season. The ban was handed by a disciplinary tribunal in Dhaka on Wednesday. (Ashraful Suspended by BCB)

Former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent was handed a three-year ban for failing to report an approach by a bookie to rig a game and Sri Lankan batsman Kaushal Lokuarachchi was given an 18 month ban for a similar offence.

Vincent has been in the centre of a match-fixing storm involving former New Zealand teammates Chris Cairns and current captain Brendon McCullum. The ICC is investigating allegations of corruption against Cairns.

The Bangladeshi disciplinary tribunal also banned Dhaka Gladiators owner Shihab Jishan Chowdury for 10 years for fixing matches. This is the first time a team owner has been officially handed a ban. (Ashraful Admits Guilt, Says Sorry)

In the Indian Premier League, there are allegations of corruption against team owner of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The Supreme Court is already probing charges of betting and match-fixing against top players and administrators.

Once the boy wonder of Bangladesh cricket, Ashraful played 61 Tests and 177 ODIs. He has six Test hundreds with a best of 190. Ashraful, now pushing 30, hit three ODI centuries, with a best of 109.

Unlike most players who deny their involvement in match-fixing, Ashraf admitted to corruption in several media interviews. Earlier this year during the Asia Cup, Ashraful, a Sachin Tendulkar fan, told the Hindustan Times: "He is my role model. The day he selected me for Mumbai Indians (IPL 2010, South Africa), it was the happiest moment of my life."

"When I got involved in this corrupt practice, it pricked my conscience. I did not even have the courage to think about Sachin. I was ashamed of myself. I will never forgive myself for letting him down," Ashraful said.