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Former Sri Lankan cricketer Saliya Saman has been banned for five years for violating the ECB Anti-Corruption Code during the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 League.
Former Sri Lanka cricketer Saliya Saman (X/SLC)
Former Sri Lankan domestic cricketer Saliya Saman has been banned from all cricket for five years following an ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal’s verdict that found him guilty of violating the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Anti-Corruption Code.
Saman was one of eight individuals charged in September 2023 for breaches of the Code.
The ban is retroactive from 13 September 2023, the date Saman was provisionally suspended. Consequently, he has already served two years of his sentence.
The 39-year-old cricketer played 101 first-class matches and 77 List A games.
The charges stem from the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10 Cricket League and involved attempts to corrupt matches in the tournament, which were thwarted by the ICC and the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (DACO) for the ECB’s Code.
Following a full hearing and presentation of written and oral argument, the Tribunal found Saman guilty of:
- Article 2.1.1 – Being party to an attempt to fix, contrive or influence improperly matches or aspects of matches in the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.
- Article 2.1.3 – Offering a Reward to another Participant in exchange for that player engaging in Corrupt Conduct under the Code.
- Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.”
The ICC in their report said, Saliya Saman “is willing to undertake any education or rehabilitation programme” and “considering his financial circumstances, and the fact that he did not receive any financial
consideration”.
Who Is Saliya Saman?
Saliya Saman represented teams like Basnahira North, Galle Cricket Club, Kandurata, Lankan Cricket Club, Ragama Cricket Club, Sri Lanka Under-17 and Under-19 teams.
Saliya Saman played 101 first-class matches, amassing 3,662 runs at an average of 27.95, including 2 centuries and 22 fifties, with a highest score of 129. In 77 List A games, he scored 898 runs at an average of 18.32, with 1 fifty and a top score of 65. In T20s, he made 673 runs from 47 matches at an average of 24.92 and a strike rate of 129.92, featuring 2 fifties and a best score of 78 not out. Across all formats, he contributed with 27 catches in first-class cricket, 11 in List A, and 14 in T20s.
In 101 first-class matches, he bowled 11,303 deliveries, taking 231 wickets at an average of 25.92, with his best innings figures being 8 for 53. He achieved seven five-wicket hauls, one ten-wicket match haul, and maintained an economy rate of 3.17. In 77 List A matches, he bowled 2,915 deliveries, claiming 84 wickets at an average of 27.63, with best figures of 4 for 41 and an economy rate of 4.77. In T20 cricket, he took 58 wickets in 47 matches from 851 deliveries at an impressive average of 18.68 and a strike rate of 14.6, with best figures of 5 for 18 and an economy rate of 7.64.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket content, ha… Read More
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