Watch: The Bizarre Dismissals Which Compelled ICC to Launch Investigation
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has launched an investigation into a Twenty20 tournament held in the United Arab Emirates after footage emerged showing some absolutely some bizarre dismissals.
The questionable dismissals took place during the game between Dubai Star and Sharjah Warriors in the Ajman All Stars T20 league which has not been sanctioned by either the local Ajman Cricket Council, Emirates Cricket Board or the ICC.
But despite the game and the tournament being unsanctioned by any affiliated cricket body, the ICC launched the investigation after footage of the batsmen showing running past deliveries to be easily stumped and poor running between wickets that resulted in bizarre run outs went viral.
Batting first, Sharjah Warriors scored 135 while the Dubai Stars were all out for a paltry 46, with the majority of the wickets coming from run outs and stumpings.
Alex Marshall, ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit general manager, confirmed the apex body of the game had opened an investigation.
“There is currently an ICC Anti-Corruption Unit investigation underway in relation to the Ajman All-Stars League held recently in Ajman, UAE,” Marshall said in a statement.
“The ACU works to uphold integrity in cricket and in keeping with that role we are talking to players and officials and will not make any further comment at this time.”
Here is a clip showing the dismissals:
Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – Anti-Corruption "There is currently an ICC Anti-Corruption Unit investigation underway in relation to the Ajman All Stars League held recently in Ajman, UAE" #<!---->C<!---->r<!---->i<!---->c<!---->k<!---->e<!---->t p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->s<!---->Z<!---->g<!---->s<!---->f<!---->S<!---->B<!---->9<!---->Z<!---->s
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->3<!---->0<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->8
Meanwhile, the tournament, which was scheduled to run for three days, was abandoned after the first day. Shaji Ul Mulk, the secretary general of the Ajman Cricket Council, insisted that he was not aware of the tournament until it had started.
“The tournament wasn’t approved, and we only came to know about the activity on day two,” Shaji Ul Mulk told ESPN.
“There are procedures, and when my staff asked them to go by the rule book, they dispersed and never came back again. Meanwhile, we found the Ajman Oval breaching the code more than once and hence we have suspended their affiliation. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and are cooperating with the ICC in their ongoing investigation.”
According to reports, the tournament involved players who were native. The players were reportedly from a number of South Asian countries including some unnamed former international players.
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International Cricket Council