Afghan Cricketer Ihsanullah Janat Banned for 5 Years Over Corruption Charges

Kabul: In a blow to Afghan cricket, top-order batsman Ihsanullah Janat has been slapped with a five-year ban from all cricket-related activities. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced the decision on Wednesday, citing violations of both ACB and ICC anti-corruption codes.

The ban stems from incidents that occurred during the second edition of the Kabul Premier League earlier this year. The ACB’s investigation found Janat guilty of breaching Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, which prohibits influencing or manipulating the outcome of a match. The batsman has admitted to the charges and confessed to his involvement in corrupt activities.

Janat played for the Shamshad Eagles in the 2024 Kabul Premier League, scoring 72 runs in four innings at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 150. The team finished last in the six-team league, securing only one win from five matches.

On the international stage, Janat has appeared in 20 matches for Afghanistan across various formats. Since his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in February 2017, he has accumulated 307 runs in 16 ODIs, with an average of 21.92. He has also played three Test matches, scoring 110 runs at an average of 22.00, and one T20I, where he scored 20 runs in 14 balls during a June 2022 match against Zimbabwe.