BCB bans bowler for conceding 92 runs off four balls

In one of a kind incident, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has punished two players for tarnishing the country's cricket image owing to their role in two controversial lower-tier league matches which were held last month.

After Bangladesh player Sujon Mahmud had conceded 92 runs off four deliveries while playing for Lalmatia Club against Axiom Cricketers in the Dhaka Second Division League match, the BCB had formed a special committee to know everything in detail.

During the investigation, the BCB's special committee found that Tasnim Hasan had also voluntarily conceded 69 runs in 1.1 overs while playing for Fear Fighters Sporting Club against Indira Road Krira Chakra ahead of the Lalmatia-Axiom match.

Commenting on the matter, Sheikh Sohel, one of three BCB directors of the special committee, said the two bowlers did what the team management had asked them to do.

"They willingly tarnished the image of Bangladesh cricket. There was no championship or relegation at stake. It was done intentionally to tarnish our image around the world. From the first day I have said that we won't tolerate such things. It was a crime," ESPNcricinfo quoted Sohel as saying.

"A bowler won't be able to do such a thing without the order of their team management. There was no match-fixing in this, not that they got any money for doing such a thing. From the whole investigation we realised that it was done to hurt Bangladesh cricket," he added.

While Sujon and Tasnim have been banned from cricket for next 10 years, the clubs have been scratched from playing in any division of the Dhaka league

Captains, managers and coaches of Lalmatia and Fear Fighters have also been given five-year bans.

Meanwhile, umpires Shamsur Rahman and Azizul Bari, who were officiating in both matches in question, have been suspended for their failure to handle the matches properly.