NEWS
Follow UsOn Friday, ICC announced a three-and-a-half-year ban on the former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor on the charge of failing to report a spot-fixing approach on time. He has also been handed a one month suspension for failing a dope test which was linked to his intake of cocaine during the episode.
The announcement was quite anticipated after Taylor's statement on Twitter on January 24. He was articulate in his description of events where he was lured into the trap by an Indian businessman in 2019. The 35-year old also accepted his fate that he will be facing a multi-year ban from the ICC.
In a statement, the ICC said Taylor admitted to being in breach of the provisions of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
"Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has been banned from all cricket for three and a half years after he accepted breaching four charges of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and, separately, one charge of the ICC Anti-Doping Code," the ICC said.
Taylor had claimed that he was invited by the businessman to India to discuss "sponsorships" and the potential launch of a T20 event in Zimbabwe besides an offer of USD 15,000 in October 2019. He did not name the businessman in question.
Taylor played 205 ODIs, 34 Tests and 45 T20s before retiring last year, said he was also given a part payment to spot fix matches, which, according to him, he never did.
He tested positive for Benzoylecognine, which is primarily a result of cocaine ingestion.
"This one-month suspension will run concurrently with the suspension of three and a half years under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Mr. Taylor will be free to resume his involvement in the game on 28 July 2025," the ICC stated.
Taylor is the second Zimbabwean cricketer in recent history to be handed a multi-year suspension for failing to report a corrupt approach. In April 2021 Heath Streak received an eight-year ban for multiple breaches of similar nature.