Sri Lanka’s left-arm spinner Praveen Jayawickrama has been banned from all forms of cricket for a year, of which “six months will be suspended,” as per the ICC. The ban was imposed on Jayawickrama after he admitted breaching the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Code. Jayawickrama admitted to being in breach of Article 2.4.7 of the Code, which deals with: “Obstructing or delaying any investigation that may be carried out by the ACU, including concealing, tampering with, or destroying any documentation or other information that may be relevant to that investigation and/or that may be evidence or may lead to the discovery of evidence of corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code.”

Jayawickrama last represented Sri Lanka in 2022. He has featured for the Island nation in five Tests, five ODIs, and five T20Is, with a total of 32 international wickets to his name across those 15 matches, the ICC said.

The charges relate to international cricket and the Lanka Premier League. The ICC, in agreement with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), acted in accordance with Articles 1.7.4.1 and 1.8.1 of the Anti-Corruption Code.

The ICC Anti-Corruption Code and the complete decision (which has been redacted to protect the identities of the ICC’s witnesses and other third parties) can be found on the official ICC website.

Sri Lankan spinner Praveen Jayawickrama has been charged with three counts of breaching the ICC anti-corruption code, including failure to report match-fixing approach without delay and disruption of evidence. The 25-year-old left-arm spinner Jayawickrama allegedly failed to report to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit approaches made to him to fix international matches as well as Lanka Premier League games in 2021.

The ICC said on its website on Thursday, “Reportedly, the Sri Lanka bowler was found to have deleted messages related to the approach for conducting corrupt practices.” The player has been given 14 days to respond starting August 6.

Jayawickrama has been charged under Article 2.4.4, which pertains to “failing to report to the ACU, without unnecessary delay, details of an approach he received to carry out fixing in future International Matches.” The second offence is also related to Article 2.4.4, which pertains to “failing to report to the ACU without unnecessary delay, details of an approach he received in which he was asked to approach another player, on a corrupter’s behalf, to carry out fixing in the 2021 Lanka Premier League.” The cricketer has also been charged with “obstructing the investigation”.

The ICC said, “Article 2.4.7 – Obstructing the investigation by deleting messages in which the approaches and offers to engage in corrupt conduct were made.” The ICC added, “Following Articles 1.7.4.1 and 1.8.1 of the Code, Sri Lanka Cricket and the ICC have agreed that the ICC will take action concerning the Lanka Premier League charge alongside the International Match charges.”