Avishka Gunawardene cleared of corruption charges

The former Sri Lanka batsman had been charged by the Emirates Cricket Board with offences relating to the 2017 T10 tournament. Nuwan Zoysa had three of his four charges dropped

Avishka Gunawardene has been cleared of corruption charges by an independent tribunal, allowing him to resume cricket-related activities with immediate effect.

In May 2019, the former Sri Lanka batsman was charged by the Emirates Cricket Board with two offences relating to the 2017 T10 tournament played in the UAE. He was subsequently suspended from his coaching roles by Sri Lanka Cricket.

Gunawardene was charged with:

Article 2.1.4 Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.

Article 2.4.5 Failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant.

^{Nuwan Zoysa is currently serving a six-year ban, dating back to October 2018}

The ECB have also dropped three of their four charges against Nuwan Zoysa. He was charged with the below offences, but the ICC are yet to specify which offence was upheld:

Article 2.1.1 Being party to an agreement to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or other aspects of a match.

Article 2.1.4 Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1.

Article 2.4.4 Failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in corrupt conduct under the code.

Article 2.4.6 Failing or refusing, without compelling justification to cooperate with any investigation carried out by the ACU in relation to possible corrupt conduct under the code.

Zoysa is currently banned from cricket for six years, dating back to October 2018, after being found guilty in November 2020 of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code.

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