West Indies cricketer banned for five years for match fixing

The International Cricket Council on Thursday suspended West Indies hitter Devon Thomas for five years for match-fixing.

Thomas, 34, reportedly acknowledged 'breaching seven counts of the anti-corruption codes of Sri Lanka Cricket, the Emirates Cricket Board, and the Caribbean Premier League,' according to the ICC, a Dubai-based organisation.

The violations concern trying to rig games and hindering investigations by hiding, altering, or deleting evidence.

Thomas was placed on provisional suspension on May 23, of last year, and his ban was retroactive to that day. The remaining eighteen months of the prohibition are off.

'ICC general manager Alex Marshall stated that this ban is appropriate and should send a strong message to players and corrupters that attempts to corrupt our sport will be dealt with firmly.'

Four of the violations are connected to the 2021 Lanka Premier League games played in Sri Lanka. One is related to matches in the T10 Cricket League in the United Arab Emirates in 2021, while the other two are related to matches in the Caribbean Premier League that same year.

'Devon attended multiple anti-corruption education sessions, having played both professional domestic and franchise cricket and international cricket,' Marshall added. 'Therefore, he was aware of his responsibilities under the anti-corruption codes, but he neglected to fulfil them in three separate franchise leagues.'

The past eleven years of Thomas' 21 one-day worldwide experience came about. From 2009 to 22, he participated in 12 T20 matches for the West Indies. In December 2022, he made his sole test debut against Australia.

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