‘You can play if you want’ – Bangladesh cricketer allegedly approached for spot-fixing in ongoing Women’s 20-20 World Cup

The Bangladesh women’s cricket team has been embroiled in controversy after an alleged incident of spot-fixing approach emerged from the Women’s 20-20 World Cup. It comes after a Dhaka-based media outlet aired a phone conversation between two Bangladesh cricketers, one of whom is seen rejecting a spot-fixing offer.

The audio recording has revealed that former Bangladesh international Shohely Akhter contacted all-rounder Lata Mondal to try and spot-fix. Lata, who is currently in South Africa, immediately rejects the offer and requests Akhter not to involve her in such crimes.

In their phone conversation, Shohely Akhter is heard saying: “I am not forcing anything. You can play if you want.
“The fact that I told you, you can play this time or not. You choose which match you want to play. You can offer the match. It is your wish. You did well in one match, you can play the next game or not. The team management will let you do that.

“Suppose you played well in a match, then you can play (fix) in the next match. You may get stumped or hit -wicket. If you say you won’t get hit-wicket for 20-30 lakhs then get stumped for 5 lakh. If you feel it is less then you can say it. Then I’ll tell my brother. Just remember that this is between you and me.”

Lata replied: “No my friend, I am not involved in these things. Please don’t tell me these things. I won’t be able to do these things ever. I request you not to tell me these things, please.”

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken up the matter and reported the incident to the Anti-Corruption Unit.

“Our cricketer from the World Cup squad, who has been approached, has immediately reported it to the Cricket Governing Body’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). Now, the rest will be dealt with by the ACU. We do not have jurisdiction over these matters as it will be looked into by ACU. But, yes, we are aware of it,” BCB director and women’s wing chairman Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel told the Bangladesh media.

Bangladesh lost their first two matches of the World Cup, losing to Sri Lanka by seven wickets and Australia by eight wickets. They next face New Zealand Women at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday.