ICC slaps corruption ban on Indian owner of T10 franchise

• As a co-owner of the discontinued Sindhis franchise, Agarwal was charged with "obstructing or delaying an investigation.
• Agarwal will be free to rejoin the game from October 27, 2021 if he does not commit further offences.
• He made a prompt admission of his breach of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and continues to provide substantial assistance to the ACU in relation to several investigations involving other participants.

DUBAI: Indian businessman Deepak Agarwal, who owned a team in the 2018 T10 league, has been banned for two years on corruption charges, the International Cricket Council said on Wednesday.

As a co-owner of the discontinued Sindhis franchise, Agarwal was charged with "obstructing or delaying an investigation", including concealing, tampering or destroying documents and other information.

He accepted breaching the ICC anti-corruption code in the event held in the United Arab Emirates, in lieu of an anti-corruption tribunal hearing. Six months of the ban is suspended.

Agarwal will be free to rejoin the game from October 27, 2021 if he does not commit further offences.

"There were a number of examples of Mr Agarwal obstructing and delaying our investigations and it was not just a one-off occurrence," ICC's general manager for integrity, Alex Marshall, said in a statement.

"However, he made a prompt admission of his breach of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and continues to provide substantial assistance to the ACU in relation to several investigations involving other participants.

"This cooperation is reflected in his sanction."

The league, which was first held in 2017, has been under scrutiny from the ICC and Sri Lankan players Nuwan Zoysa and Avishka Gunawardene were last year suspended on corruption charges.