Yorkshire man admits conspiring to bribe cricketers in T20 tournaments

A Yorkshire man is one of two men who have admitted conspiring to offer bribes to professional cricket players.
By Jonathan Pritchard
Published 2nd Dec 2019, 16:12 BST
The pair were due to stand trial at Manchester Crown Court, but changed their pleas. Credit: Gaynor ClarkeThe pair were due to stand trial at Manchester Crown Court, but changed their pleas. Credit: Gaynor Clarke
The pair were due to stand trial at Manchester Crown Court, but changed their pleas. Credit: Gaynor Clarke

Sheffield's Mohammed Ijaz, 34, and Yousef Anwar, 36, were arrested last February as part of an investigation by the National Crime Agency into alleged spot-fixing in Twenty20 tournaments organised by national cricket boards from Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Both men had previously denied the offences, but changed their pleas on December 2 ahead of a scheduled trial at Manchester Crown Court.

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Anwar and Ijaz pleaded guilty to conspiring together between November 2016 and December 2016 to offer financial advantages to players in the Bangladesh Premier League, with the intention of inducing them to perform improperly by failing to play competitively in good faith.

They also admitted the same charge in relation to players taking part in the Pakistan Super League between November 2016 and February 2017.

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Anwar, of Littlebrook Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, and Ijaz, of Chippingham Road, Sheffield, were granted bail ahead of sentencing, expected to take place early next year.

A third defendant, Pakistani international cricketer Nasir Jamshaid, 33, of High Street, Walsall, denies being part of the bribery conspiracy in relation to the Pakistan Super League.

The prosecution will open its case against him on December 3.