The International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit has launched an investigation into Cricket Canada following allegations of corruption linked to the 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The allegations surfaced through a documentary titled Corruption, Crime and Cricket, produced by the fifth estate, a Canadian investigative programme aired by the public broadcaster CBC on Friday.
The Over That Raised Red Flags
The investigation centres on Canada’s group-stage match against New Zealand during the T20 World Cup 2026. Specifically, the ACU is scrutinising the fifth over of New Zealand’s run chase, bowled by Canada’s captain Dilpreet Bajwa.
Context matters here. Canada had set a total of 173, and their opening bowlers, Jaskaran Singh and Dilon Heyliger conceded 15 and 14 runs respectively in their opening overs. Spin was introduced as early as the third over, with Saad bin Zafar delivering a wicket-maiden. Heyliger then returned in the fourth over and picked up a wicket while conceding just five runs, keeping Canada competitive.
It was at this point that Bajwa, a batting allrounder who bowls off-spin, brought himself into the attack. He had been appointed captain barely three weeks before the tournament began and was just 22 years old at the time. His fifth over began with a no-ball, followed by a wide down the leg side, and ended with 15 runs conceded overall. That over is now the subject of formal scrutiny.
Wider Allegations of Corruption and Player Selection
Beyond the match itself, the documentary raises broader concerns about governance within Cricket Canada. Former Canada coach Khurram Chohan has alleged that senior Cricket Canada board members pressured him to select specific players for the national team and that there were attempts to fix matches.
A second former coach, Pubudu Dassanayake, has also come forward with a separate claim. He alleges that he was threatened with contract termination after refusing to pick certain players in the squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Together, the two accounts paint a troubling picture of interference at the administrative level of Canadian cricket.
ICC’s Response
Andrew Ephgrave, interim General Manager of the ICC’s Integrity Unit, confirmed the body is aware of the CBC documentary but stopped short of commenting on the specific allegations. In a statement to ESPNcricinfo, he said the ACU does not comment on the substance of any allegations consistent with its established operating procedures.
Ephgrave further clarified that the ACU operates across three functions simultaneously: intelligence, prevention and education, and investigation. He added that these functions are applied wherever there is a credible basis to believe the integrity of the sport may be at risk.
Governance matters related to ICC members, where they fall under the ICC’s jurisdiction, are addressed through standard constitutional processes, according to the statement.
What This Means for Cricket Canada
The investigation places Cricket Canada under serious scrutiny at a time when associate nations are working hard to build credibility on the global stage. Canada had made notable strides by qualifying for back-to-back T20 World Cups, but these allegations threaten to overshadow that progress considerably.
The ICC has not confirmed a timeline for the investigation’s conclusion, and no individuals have been charged at this stage. However, the combination of a specific over under examination, two former coaches making independent claims, and an active ACU investigation makes this one of the more serious corruption cases to surface in associate cricket in recent years.
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