The International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit has launched investigations into alleged corruption involving Cricket Canada, including scrutiny of a match played during the recent men's T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka, ESPNcricinfo has reported.
According to the report, the ACU is currently handling two active probes. These investigations cover alleged breaches of the ICC's anti-corruption code at both international and domestic levels, alongside governance concerns within Cricket Canada. The allegations gained wider attention through a documentary titled Corruption, Crime and Cricket, produced by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's investigative programme The Fifth Estate.
One of the key allegations relates to Canada's match against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup played in Chennai. The documentary highlights the fifth over of New Zealand's run chase, bowled by captain Dilpreet Bajwa, who had been appointed skipper just three weeks before the tournament.
Bajwa, a batting all-rounder by skills, introduced himself into the attack with New Zealand at 35/2 after 5 overs. Canada had started with pace bowlers Jaskaran Singh and Dilon Heyliger, who conceded 15 and 14 runs respectively in their opening overs. The team then turned to spin early, with Saad bin Zafar delivering a wicket maiden in the third over, followed by a wicket from Heyliger in the fourth.
Bajwa's over, however, proved expensive. The over began with a no-ball, followed it with a wide down the leg side, and eventually conceded 15 runs. New Zealand ended up winning the match by 8 wickets.
ICC will also be investigating a case of a leaked phone call recording involving former Canada head coach Khurram Chohan. In the audio, Chohan is heard alleging that the senior board members of Cricket Canada pressured him to select specific players for the national team. According to the report, the recording surfaced last year and also includes claims of attempted match-fixing. "The ACU is aware of the programme broadcast by CBC," Andrew Ephgrave, interim General Manager of the ICC's Integrity Unit, has told ESPNcricinfo.
"Consistent with its established operating procedures, the ACU is not in a position to comment on the substance of any allegations contained within it," Ephgrave added.
The documentary further features former Canada coach Pubudu Dassanayake, who claims he too faced undue pressure from board members over squad selection ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. According to the documentary, Dassanayake was allegedly threatened with termination from his role if he refused to comply. He has since filed a lawsuit against the board for wrongful dismissal.
Cricket Canada has been dealing with administrative instability over the past year. This includes the controversial appointment and subsequent removal of former CEO Salman Khan, whose hiring drew ICC scrutiny due to undisclosed prior criminal charges. He has also been charged with theft and fraud by Calgary Police, allegations he denies. More recently, Arvinder Khosa was elected as the new board president, replacing Amjad Bajwa.
The documentary also highlights financial issues within the board, including delayed payments of prize money to players from the 2024 T20 World Cup. It further claims that national players went without contracts from July 2025 before being placed on minimal retainers in the lead-up to the latest tournament.
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