The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday (May 10) suspended former Sri Lanka cricketers Nuwan Zoysa and Avishka Gunawardene provisionally on charges of doing corruption in the T10 league in the UAE.
Among the duo, Zoysa is already under suspension for a previous allegation of corruption. They've both been given 14 days to respond to the charges, which the ICC lamented on the behalf of Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) over two counts on Gunawardene and four on Zoysa.
It is not yet been specified what exactly led to the action, but these charges are related to the T10 Cricket League played in the UAE in December 2018.
Zoysa has been charged on four counts:
Article 2.1.1: for being party to an agreement to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspect(s) of a match.
Article 2.1.4: Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.
Article 2.4.4: Failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the Code.
Article 2.4.6: Failing or refusing, without compelling justification to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
"Zoysa is already suspended as a result of being charged with three breaches of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code in November last year, these charges are pending determination," an ICC release said.
The ex left-arm pacer has also been provisionally suspended under the ECB Code pending the determination of these new charges.
Gunawardene, on the other hand, has been charged under Article 2.1.4 and Article 2.4.5 which deal with failing to disclose to the ACU "full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant."
"Zoysa and Gunawardene have 14 days from 9 May 2019 to respond to the charges," the release says.
These are, of course, provisional suspensions and will remain in force till the charges are either proven or not.
(Inputs from ICC)
