DPL fixing: ACU wants Minhazul banned for minimum 5 years

The Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has recommended a minimum five-year ban on Shinepukur Cricket Club's wicketkeeper-batter Minhazul Abedin Sabbir after he was found guilty of corrupt conduct during his side's Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League match earlier this year.

According to a 10-page investigation report seen by The Daily Star, which was presented to the board president Aminul Islam Bulbul yesterday by the BCB's ACU after a detailed four-and-a-half-month investigation, the 27-year-old was found guilty of breaching BCB Anti-Corruption Code Article 2.1.1 (Corruption – Match Fixing), BCB Code Article 2.4.2 (Failure to Disclose Approaches) and ICC Code Article 2.4.7 / BCB equivalent (Obstructing an Investigation).

"The evidence conclusively shows he engaged in behaviour that compromised the integrity of the match, warranting strong disciplinary action," the ACU said in their investigation report.

"Given the evidence, the tribunal should consider a substantial ban. A minimum five-year ban from all cricket is recommended, with the possibility of a longer duration (eight to ten years or more) to reflect the severity and act as a deterrent," added the investigation report which, however, contains no evidence of involvement by team management or officials in the wrongdoing.

"The responsibility lies with Minhazul and his co-actors. This finding is significant as it narrows the scope of the conspiracy to the players themselves, without implicating coaches or club executives in this instance," the ACU said.

On April 9, at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur, Minhazul displayed suspicious behaviour with Shinepukur needing only a few runs to win against Gulshan Club. In the 44th over, he stepped out to a wide delivery, missed the ball, and failed to ground his bat despite ample time, resulting in an easy stumping that sealed a five-run defeat. This unnatural dismissal, at a crucial stage, immediately raised suspicions of deliberate underperformance.

The BCB issued a statement reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and launched an immediate investigation. Minhazul, along with others, was summoned by the ACU the following day.

To move beyond visual evidence, the investigation also employed forensic techniques which included examining communication records, electronic devices, and personal data for signs of corrupt coordination. The evidence against Sabbir is multifaceted -- visual, behavioural, and digital -- all pointing to deliberate misconduct, according to the ACU report.