DHAKA: Former international player Shariful Haque has been found guilty of spot fixing and banned from cricket indefinitely, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said yesterday.
“The allegation made against the player has been substantiated,” BCB president Mustafa Kamal told a news conference.
“We have decided to ban him from all cricketing activities until further notice. We will keep watching him and only if we are satisfied will his ban be lifted.”
A BCB inquiry had looked into an allegation by former test captain Mashrafe Mortaza that he was approached by off-spinner Haque about spot fixing before the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 Tournament in February.
Mortaza said he was told he would be paid 15 to 20 percent of the earnings from spot betting, in return for providing information about whether he would play in certain matches and even whether he would be wearing sunglasses.
Haque, who played one one-day international against India in 1998, is the first cricketer in Bangladesh to be punished for match fixing.
He was part of the Bangladesh squad in the 1994 International Cricket Council (ICC) Trophy in Kenya and played three first-class matches.
Bangladesh bans Haque for spot fixing
Bangladesh bans Haque for spot fixing
Alcaraz swats aside Walton as career Grand Slam bid begins in Melbourne
- The 22-year-old Spaniard can eclipse Don Budge and become the youngest man to win all four major singles titles at least once
MELBOURNE: Carlos Alcaraz kicked off his latest bid for a career Grand Slam by dismantling unseeded Australian Adam Walton 6-3 7-6(2) 6-2 in the first round of the Australian Open on Sunday, as the world number one showcased the power and precision befitting a player chasing history.
The 22-year-old Spaniard, who can eclipse Don Budge and become the youngest man to win all four major singles titles at least once, gave a packed Rod Laver Arena an exhibition in shot-making that had fans either glued to their seats or rising in ovation.
“I’m really happy to step on to the court for the first time this season. I think it couldn’t be better than here at Rod Laver Arena. It was a good match, I felt great,” Alcaraz said.
“Adam (showed) a great level in the match so I had to stay there. Overall, I’m happy with the level I played at today.
“It was difficult to find good spots (against him) ... he was always in a good position, long rallies and solid from the baseline. His flat ball was sometimes really difficult for me.
“It was a really solid match and when he was able to step in on the court and play aggressive, he did, and that made it really difficult in the match.”
A ferocious forehand helped Alcaraz to grab the first break for a 5-3 lead and the six-times Grand Slam champion closed out the opening set on his retooled serve, which now bears more than a passing resemblance to the delivery of Novak Djokovic.
That technical tweak followed Alcaraz’s abrupt split last month with long-time coach Juan Carlos Ferrero, whose steadying influence was missing when the Spaniard was dragged into a second-set tiebreak after a spell of loose, crowd-pleasing tennis.
A ruthless Alcaraz came out all guns blazing to double his advantage in the clash and then rode the momentum to ease through the third set, booking a second-round meeting with Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.
