The International Cricket Council on Tuesday suspended West Indies batter Devon Thomas for allegedly “contriving” to fix games in 2021 Lanka Premier League besides indulging in corrupt practices in two other franchise tournaments in the same year.
Thomas, who last played for the West Indies in August 2022, has been charged with seven counts under the ICC’s anti-corruption code. He has also been named in the upcoming ODI series against the UAE in Dubai.
Besides the fixing allegation, the governing body also charged the 33-year-old for failing to report corrupt approaches in the Abu Dhabi T10 and Caribbean Premier League in 2021. Thomas has 14 days to respond to the serious charges.
The most damning charge relates to “contriving or being party to an agreement to fix or attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspects of matches in the Lanka Premier League 2021”.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC), on behalf of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), has charged West Indies player Devon Thomas with seven counts under their anti-corruption codes and he has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect,” said the global governing body in a statement.
The ICC, in a release, also claimed that Thomas did not cooperate with the anti-corruption officials during the investigation. A top-order batter, who also keeps in white-ball cricket, Thomas has represented West Indies in one Test, 21 ODIs and 12 T20s.
His only Test appearance came against Australia in December last year and remains an active first-class cricketer.
He has also been charged for “failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or benefit (a) that he knew or should have known was made in order to procure a breach of the CPL Code, or (b) could have brought the player or the game of cricket into disrepute”.
The ICC, in its capacity as the Designated Anti-Corruption Official, has charged Thomas under the following codes as he has 14 days from 23 May 2023 to respond to the charges.
Article 2.1.1 of the SLC Code - contriving or being party to an agreement to fix or attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspects of matches in the Lanka Premier League 2021.
Article 2.4.4 of the SLC Code – failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official, without unnecessary delay, full details of an approach or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct in the Lanka Premier League 2021.
Article 2.4.6 of the SLC Code - failing or refusing, without compelling justification, to cooperate with the Designated Anti-Corruption Official’s investigation by failing to provide accurately and completely any information and/or documentation requested by the Designated Anti-Corruption Official.
Article 2.4.7 of the SLC Code – obstructing or delaying the Designated Anti-Corruption Official’s investigation into Corrupt Conduct, including (without limitation) concealing, tampering with or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence of or may lead to the discovery of evidence of Corrupt Conduct.
Article 2.4.4 of the ECB Code – failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official, without unnecessary delay, full details of an approach or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct at the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.
Article 2.4.4 of the CPL Code – failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official, without unnecessary delay, full details of an approach or invitations received to engage in Corrupt Conduct in relation to the CPL 2021.
Article 2.4.2 of the CPL Code – failing to disclose to the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (without unnecessary delay) the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or benefit (a) that he knew or should have known was made in order to procure a breach of the CPL Code, or (b) could have brought the player or the game of cricket into disrepute.
(With inputs from PTI)
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