Bangladesh's inaugural Twenty20 league opened on a sour note yesterday when a leading player revealed he had received a spot-fixing proposition.
Mashrafe Mortaza, the former Bangladesh captain, said he had been approached by an unnamed player regarding potential spot-fixing when he turns out as captain of the Dhaka Gladiators in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
"I have told my team management about the approach and I'm sure they will do the right thing," Mortaza told Cricinfo. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the report.
Dhaka newspapers reported that Mortaza said he would step down from captaincy if he suspected any irregularities once the tournament – styled along the lines of the Indian Premier League (IPL) – got going.
Mortaza was asked to provide information on whether he would play certain matches and even whether he would be wearing his sunglasses or a cap when he takes the field.
In exchange, he was told, he would be paid 15-20 per cent of the earnings from the spot-bets. BCB officials said Mortaza has been asked to reveal the name of the player who made the approach. "This is a very serious offence," BCB spokesman Jalal Yunus said. "We have zero tolerance towards these things and will do whatever is needed to nail it down quickly.
Mortaza will be speaking to officials of the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Security Unit before the matches get under way on Friday, Yunus said.
The competition, which will also see the participation of players West Indians Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, will not feature Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan all-rounder, who was initially to slated to play here.
The six-team league is to be played in Dhaka and Chittagong, with the final on February 29.
