Afghanistan's Insanullah Janat banned for five years on corruption charges

New Delhi: Insanullah Janat, a prominent top-order batter for Afghanistan, has been banned from all cricket-related activities for five years due to corruption charges, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Wednesday.

Ban Effective Immediately

The ban, effective immediately, stems from breaches of both ACB and ICC anti-corruption codes during the second edition of the Kabul Premier League earlier this year.

Violation of Anti-Corruption Codes

The ACB's statement highlighted Janat's violation of Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, which addresses improper influence or efforts to manipulate the outcome, progress, conduct, or any other aspect of a match.

Confession and Admission

The Afghanistan Cricket Board said, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, "Janat was found guilty of violating Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, which involves improper influence or efforts to fix the result, progress, conduct, or any other aspect of a match." The Board further added, "In light of this violation, he has been handed a five-year ban from all cricket-related activities. Janat has admitted to the charges and confessed to his involvement in corrupt activities."

Further Investigations Underway

Additionally, the ACB is investigating three other players for potential involvement in similar corrupt activities, with decisions pending based on the confirmation of their guilt.

Performance in Kabul Premier League 2024

During the Kabul Premier League 2024, Janat represented the Shamshad Eagles, scoring 72 runs in four innings at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 150. The team ended the tournament at the bottom of the six-team league, securing just one win from five games.

International Career Overview

On the international stage, Janat has played in 20 matches for Afghanistan across all formats. Since his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in Harare in February 2017, he has accumulated 307 runs in 16 ODIs at an average of 21.92. In addition, he has featured in three Tests, scoring 110 runs at an average of 22.00, and one T20I, where he scored a 14-ball 20 in June 2022 against Zimbabwe in Harare, marking his last appearance for the national team.

Cricketing Family Background

Janat hails from a cricketing family, with his brother Nawroz Mangal being a key figure in Afghanistan's early years of international cricket. Nawroz captained the national team when they achieved ODI status at the 2009 World Cup qualifiers and again during their qualification for the 2010 T20 World Cup.

(With ANI inputs)