Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has
on Monday said that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is set to “impose a
multi-year ban” on his cricket career after he failed to report to ICC’s
anti-corruption wing that an Indian businessman approached him for spot-fixing.

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Taylor, who played 205 ODIs, 34 Tests and
45 T20Is, said that he met an unnamed businessman in October 2019 “to
discuss sponsorships and the potential launch of a T20 competition in
Zimbabwe”.

“We had drinks and during the course
of the evening they openly offered me cocaine, which they themselves engaged
in, and I foolishly took the bait. I’ve gone over it a million times since and
still feel sick to my stomach reliving that night and how they played me,”
Taylor wrote in a detailed Twitter statement.

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“The following morning, the same men
stormed into my hotel room and showed me a video taken of me the night before
doing cocaine and told me that if I did not spot fix at international matches
for them, the video would be released to the public.

“I was cornered. And with 6 of these
individuals in my hotel room, I was scared for my own safety. I’d fallen for
it. I’d willingly walked into a situation that has changed my life
forever.” The 35-year-old, who scored 6684 runs in ODIs, 2320 runs in Tests and 859 runs in T20Is before retiring last year, now expects the ICC to ban him for not reporting the
incident back then. The game’s governing body is yet to comment on the matter.

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“The timing was such that we hadn’t
been paid for 6 months by Zimbabwe cricket and it was questionable whether
Zimbabwe would be able to continue playing in the international arena,” he
said while trying to give his reasons for accepting the offer.

The Harare-born cricket said he was
blackmailed “post dinner and drinks”.

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BCCI
wants details

BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit chief Shabir
Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala told PTI, “if the incident happened in
India, we would like to know the details and if he has spoken to the ICC, we
will seek the details from the global body.

“As of now, no one has contacted us
but we would like to know more about the issue”.

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Taylor said he was also given a part
payment to spot fix matches.

“I was handed the USD 15,000 but was
told this was now a ‘deposit’ for spot-fixing and that an additional USD 20,000
would be paid once the ‘job’ was complete.

“I
took the money”

“I took the money so I could get on a
plane and leave India. I felt I had no choice at the time because saying no was
clearly not an option. All| knew was | had to get out of there.

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“When I returned home, the stress of
what had taken place severely impacted my mental and physical health. I was a
mess. I was diagnosed with shingles and prescribed strong anti-psychotic
medication – amitriptyline.” Taylor decided to report the incident to the
ICC four months later and said he delayed it to protect his family.

“The ‘businessman’ wanted a return on
his investment which I could not and would not give. It took me 4 months to
report this offence and interaction to the ICC.

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“I acknowledge this was too long of a
time but I thought I could protect everyone and in particular, my family. I
approached the ICC on my own terms and | hoped that if | explained my
predicament, my genuine fear for our safety and wellbeing, they would
understand the delay.

“Unfortunately, they did not, but I
cannot feign ignorance in this regard. I have attended many anti-corruption
seminars over the years and we know that time is of the essence when making
reports.” Taylor insisted that he has never been involved in any wrongdoing
on the field.

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“Never been involved in match-fixing”

“I would like to place on record that
I have never been involved in any form of match-fixing. I may be many things
but I am not a cheat. My love for the beautiful game of cricket far outweighs and
surpasses any threats which could be thrown my way.

“As a result of approaching the ICC I
attended multiple interviews and engagements and was as honest and transparent
as I could be during their investigations. Inside and outside I was beating
myself up and I still wish I had sought support and advice earlier for a
multitude of reasons.

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“That being said, the ICC are taking
the decision to impose a multi-year ban on my international cricketing career.
I humbly accept this decision and only hope that my story will be used as a
means of encouragement for cricketers to report any approaches early.”
Taylor will also be spending time in a rehab centre to get his life back on
track. “And so, I would also like to let you know that on Tuesday the 25th
of January I am checking into a rehabilitation centre to get clean and to get
my life back on track.

“I have to tell my story now because I
know people will want to hear from me. To try and understand what led to this
point. But for many weeks I will be away and trying to get better.

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“To end I need to let you know I am
sorry for those I have hurt. I am sorry for those I have let down,” he
added.