DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has charged Irfan Ansariwith three counts of breaching the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

Ansari, a former employee of Sharjah Cricket Stadium, is accused ofapproaching Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed during an ODI series against SriLanka in UAE last year. Ahmed had reported the approach to Pakistan cricketofficials.

Reliable sources have revealed that Irfan Ansari was linked with the Indianbookies network operating in UAE and had links back at India. It was againan effort by India to defame the Pakistan cricket like earlier effortswhereby Pakistan cricketers were trapped in spot fixing case.

However Pakistan skipper foiled the attempt with his honesty andprofessionalism.

According to an ICC press release, Mr Ansari is party to the code throughhis position as a person who is affiliated to a team that participates inInternational Matches and the Coach of the One Stop Tourism and Multiplexinternational teams who participate in domestic matches in the UAE.

He has been provisionally suspended with immediate effect and has beencharged with the following three offences under the Code:

Article 2.3.3 – directly soliciting, inducing, enticing or encouraging aparticipant to breach Code Article 2.3.2

Article 2.4.6 – failure or refusal to cooperate with the ACU’sinvestigation by failing to provide accurately and completely theinformation and / or documentation requested by the ACU in October 2017

Article 2.4.6 – failure or refusal to cooperate with the ACU’sinvestigation by failing to provide accurately and completely theinformation and / or documentation requested by the ACU in February 2018

Mr Ansari has 14 days from 19 May 2018 to respond to the charges.