Hong Kong all-rounder banned for two and a half years

Hong Kong all-rounder Irfan Ahmed has been banned from all cricket for two and a half years after admitting breaches of the ICC’s corruption code.

Cricket’s governing body said Irfan failed to disclose approaches made to him to engage in corruption.

The 26-year-old was charged and provisionally suspended in November following an investigation into an unnamed individual.

Irfan accepted the sanction and waived his right to appeal, the ICC said.

Sir Ronnie Flanagan, chairman of its anti-corruption unit , said Irfan’s punishment was “a reminder to all” of “the requirement to report corrupt approaches without any delay”.

Irfan’s ban is backdated to the start of his provisional suspension and will expire on 4 May 2018.