The International Cricket Council (ICC) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) is currently looking into serious corruption claims connected to Cricket Canada. One of the key concerns is about a match Canada played against New Zealand cricket team during the recent men’s T20 World Cup.
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, there are two separate investigations going on. These involve possible violations of the ICC’s anti-corruption rules at both international and domestic levels. The issue came to light through a documentary called “Corruption, Crime and Cricket”, made by The Fifth Estate and aired on CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). The documentary raises several concerns about how cricket is being run in Canada.
One major point in the documentary focuses on a specific moment in the match against New Zealand. During New Zealand’s chase, Canada’s captain Dilpreet Bajwa bowled the fifth over. At that time, New Zealand were 35 for 2. Bajwa, who was only 22 and had become captain just three weeks before the tournament, started the over poorly—with a no-ball and a wide—and ended up giving away 15 runs. This over has now come under scrutiny.
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The second investigation is linked to a leaked phone call involving former Canada coach Khurram Chohan. In the recording, he claims that some senior board members pressured him to pick certain players for the national team. The call also mentions possible attempts to fix matches, although there isn’t enough clear evidence yet to prove those claims.
An ICC official, Andrew Ephgrave, said the ACU is aware of the documentary but cannot comment on the details of the allegations. He explained that the unit focuses on three main areas: gathering information, educating players, and investigating suspicious activities.
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Another former coach, Pubudu Dassanayake, also made similar claims. He said the board tried to force him to choose certain players for the 2024 T20 World Cup squad. When he refused, he was allegedly told his contract would be ended. Dassanayake has now filed a legal case against Cricket Canada for wrongful dismissal.
Cricket Canada has already been dealing with internal problems. There was controversy around former CEO Salman Khan, whose appointment raised concerns because of undisclosed past criminal charges. He has since been charged with theft and fraud, although he denies the accusations. Recently, Arvinder Khosa replaced Amjad Bajwa as board president.
The documentary also claims that players did not receive their T20 World Cup prize money on time. It further says that national players were left without contracts for a period in 2025 and were later given only small payments before the tournament.
Lastly, the film touches on possible links to organised crime, including claims from a former player who said he was threatened. However, the ICC clarified that such matters fall outside the ACU’s role and should be handled by law enforcement authorities.