ICC Bans Former Sri Lankan Domestic Cricketer for Five Years for Match-Fixing

What are the charges against Saliya Saman?

In its final order, the three-member tribunal - comprising Nigel Peters KC, Justice Zak Yakub and Chairman Harish Salve KC - said that Saman had sought to recruit a player for the Abu Dhabi T10, and offered that the player “would play in all the matches, in two of which he would agree to do something that is commonly understood as match fixing.”

These incidents were disrupted by the ICC and the Designated Anti-Corruption Officer (DACO) under the ECB's Conduct Code. Saman was found guilty on three counts under Articles 2.1.1, 2.1.3 and 2.1.4.

Article 2.1.1 states: "Being a party to any attempt to fix, control or improperly influence the play or aspects of matches at the Abu Dhabi T10 2021.”

According to Article 2.1.3, the summons "offered another participant a reward in exchange for engaging in corrupt conduct under the Code.”

Article 2.1.4 states: “Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or knowingly facilitating any Participant to violate Article 2.1 of the Code.”

The ban imposed on him is effective from September 13, 2023, when it was provisionally suspended, meaning he has already completed two years of his sentence.

An International Cricketer was also accused of fixing in this case

The summons is among eight people charged with violating the code in September 2023. The ICC's Anti-Corruption Unit has charged eight individuals associated with the Pune Devils franchise in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament, including Saliya Saman, for alleged corrupt activities. Apart from Saliya Saman, the other accused are all-rounder Nasir Hossain (Bangladeshi international cricketer) and Rizwan Javed (domestic player), who are team players. Krishan Kumar Choudhary and Parag Sanghvi are co-owners of the Pune Devils. Sunny Dhillon (assistant coach) and Ashar Zaidi (batting coach) are from the coaching staff, while Shadab Ahmed is the team manager.

Among these eight accused, Nasir Hossain, an all-format player who last represented Bangladesh in 2018, was the most talked-about name. Who was reprimanded for failing to report receiving gifts worth more than US$750, which is a mandatory rule of the ACU code. After that, Bangladesh all-rounder Nasir Hossain was banned from all forms of cricket for two years. The ICC had banned him for violating the anti-corruption rules of the Emirates Cricket Board after he was found guilty in the same fixing case. However, the ban ended on 7 April 2025, after which he became eligible to return to international cricket. He started his comeback in April 2025 when he was seen playing for Rupganj Tigers Cricket Club in the Dhaka Premier Division League match against Gazi Group Cricketers in Mirpur.

Saliya Saman's Cricket Career

Although Saliya Saman never played international cricket for Sri Lanka, he represented the Sri Lankan team at the under-17 and under-19 levels. Apart from this, he also plays for Basnahira North, Galle Cricket Club, Ragama Cricket Club, Lanka Cricket Club and Kandurata in Sri Lankan domestic cricket. 

Saliya Saman has given an excellent performance in Sri Lankan first-class cricket. He played 108 matches in which he scored 3662 runs at an average of 27.95 and also succeeded in taking 271 wickets. He played 34 matches in List-A cricket, scoring 898 runs and taking 84 wickets. Apart from this, he played 47 matches in domestic T20Is in which he scored 663 runs and took 58 wickets.