USA player Akhilesh Reddy banned for eight years over corruption offences
USA cricketer Akhilesh Reddy banned for eight years by ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal for breaching code during 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament in UAE.
USA player Akhilesh Reddy banned for eight years
Eight-year ban for USA player
Bodugum Akhilesh Reddy, a player for the USA, has been banned from all forms of cricket for a period of eight years. The ban follows a ruling by an ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal, which found him guilty of breaching three counts of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti-Corruption Code. The charges against Reddy are connected to the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament, which took place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The ICC had been appointed by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) to oversee anti-corruption matters for the tournament, acting as the Designated Anti-Corruption Official (DACO). Reddy’s ban has been backdated to November 21, 2025, the date he was provisionally suspended from the sport.
Details of the corruption charges
The tribunal determined that Akhilesh Reddy violated specific articles of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. These breaches include:
- Article 2.1.1: Attempting to fix, contrive, or improperly influence the result, progress, conduct, or other aspects of matches in the ADT10 2025, or being party to an agreement or effort to do so.
- Article 2.1.4: Soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, or intentionally facilitating another participant to breach Article 2.1.1 of the Code in one or more matches during the ADT10 2025.
- Article 2.4.7: Obstructing the DACO’s investigation by deleting data and messages from a mobile device that could have been relevant to the investigation.
The case unfolded from an incident that occurred on November 19, 2025, prior to the opening match involving the Aspin Stallions. The tribunal found that Reddy approached a teammate, identified as ‘Player A’, and requested him to “give runs” while bowling. This request was allegedly made under instructions from the team management.
The teammate refused the approach and subsequently reported the incident to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit. Following this report, the teammate was dropped from the playing XI. Investigators also discovered that Reddy had deleted WhatsApp chats and call logs with ‘Player A’ before the investigation commenced. While Reddy claimed this was routine “data hygiene,” the tribunal concluded that he had deliberately destroyed evidence pertinent to the inquiry.
Player’s background and tribunal verdict
Akhilesh Reddy has represented the USA in four T20Is, where he has recorded one wicket to his name. He made his debut for the national team against the Cayman Islands in the North America T20 Cup. The verdict in his case was delivered by a three-member ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal.
The decision on both liability and sanction, which has been redacted to protect the identities of the ICC’s witnesses and other third parties, is available for further review. The ban underscores the ICC’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of cricket and addressing corruption within the sport, with the eight-year suspension reflecting the seriousness of the breaches identified by the tribunal.
The ICC’s role as the Designated Anti-Corruption Official for the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament highlights the organisation’s efforts to ensure fair play and prevent corrupt practices in various cricket leagues globally. The ban is effective from November 21, 2025.
Source: icc-cricket.com
Rohan Gupta
Sports Reporter
