KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended Cricket Canada’s membership for breaching its obligations as an associate member, a month after the global body’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) opened an investigation into allegations of corruption.
According to international media, during a board meeting held in Ahmedabad on Sunday, the Canadian national teams will remain eligible to participate in ICC events even if the apex body immediately suspends Cricket Canada’s membership.
Also, the ICC will continue to fund Cricket Canada through a restricted mechanism to prevent players from being adversely affected by administrative issues.
Aimed at addressing administrative and management deficiencies, the apex body has also imposed restructuring conditions for Cricket Canada, whose progress will be monitored by the ICC’s Normalization Committee.
“The ICC Board has decided to suspend Cricket Canada from ICC membership with immediate effect due to serious breach of member obligations,” the global body said in a statement a day after the meeting in Ahmedabad.
“Cricket Canada must adhere to a set of conditions aimed at correcting its administrative and management issues, restoring membership.
“Progress against these conditions will be monitored by the ICC Normalization Committee, supported by the ICC Executive, and re-admission of members if the Board is satisfied that the conditions are fully met.”
For the uninitiated, allegations of corruption in Cricket Canada were first brought to public attention by a Canadian investigative documentary titled Corruption, Crime and Cricket, which raises serious concerns about governance and integrity within the body.
One of the central claims related to Canada’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against New Zealand.
The documentary highlights Canadian skipper Dilpreet Bajwa’s 15 runs, including a no-ball and a wicket, in the fifth over of the Blackcaps’ chase.
A separate part of the investigation related to leaked phone conversations involving former head coach Khurram Sohan, in which he alleged that senior Cricket Canada officials pressured him to select certain players for the national team.
The documentary also includes allegations by another former head coach, Bubuthu Dasanayake, who said he faced undue pressure over squad selections ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Dasanayake alleged that he was threatened with termination of the contract due to his refusal to include certain players and was subsequently pursuing legal action against Cricket Canada for wrongful termination.
Notably, Cricket Canada has experienced significant managerial instability over the past year, including the controversy surrounding former chief executive Salman Khan, who came under ICC scrutiny over criminal charges before his appointment was announced.
He has been charged by Calgary police with theft and fraud, charges he denies. Arvinder Khosa was recently elected as the new board chairman to replace Amjat Bajwa.