Tambe participated in T20 game with banned Ashraful in USA: Report

Rajasthan Royals leg-spinner, Pravin Tambe, has participated in a private T20 tournament in the United States of America along with Bangladesh batsman Mohammad Ashraful, who is currently serving a five-year ban, according to an ESPNCricinfo report. An uncapped player, Tambe, who has represented Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, did not seek Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) permission to take part in the tournament. When asked about his participation in a T20 game in the Laurel Hill Cricket tournament in New Jersey, Tambe said he was unaware of Ashraful's involvement in it until he entered the field.

Tambe, who played alongside Ashraful for South Gujarat CC Jrs against Bulls on July 27, told the website, "I had no idea it was an official tournament. I had just gone there to visit my friends in the US for a week of holidays and I was enjoying. I did not even have a kit with me. I was told it was a practice match. When I went to the ground I realised it was Twenty20 match. Till I went into the ground and stood at my fielding position I had no clue that he [Ashraful] was also playing. Even my friends did not know. They were told that some other friend had got him."

Harshal Patel, who is part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad, was also mentioned as one of the attractions in the tournament in the website of Laurel Hill Cricket, although he did not participate in any of the matches and was in fact playing in a tournament in India. Bangladesh internationals Elias Sunny and Nadif Chowdhury also participated in the T20 event.

An ICC spokesperson, when asked by the website if the players had violated any code of conduct by playing in a tournament that involved the participation of a banned cricketer, said he would revert after obtaining more information. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and MCA confirmed that the players involved did not obtain permission to participate in the tournament.

Ashraful had been banned from all forms of cricket for eight years after he and eight other individuals were charged with corruption during the second season of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The ban was later reduced to five years, with two years suspended, after the cricketer, who had admitted to his role in the fixing controversy, appealed to a disciplinary panel.