Hong Kong given ICC assurance over ACU
Hong Kong have received assurance from the ICC that they are not under any greater scrutiny than other teams at the World T20 following comments earlier in the week.
Shortly before the start of the World T20, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the head of the ACU, spoke about how an international team was under investigation. In a subsequent press conference David Richardson, the ICC chief executive, said "in recent times you would have read in the media that a particular player was suspended from his country and the investigations relate to that same team." That promoted links back to the January suspension of Hong Kong batsman Irfan Ahmed.
But Hong Kong have been told that the current investigation does not relate to them.
In a statement, Tim Cutler, the Hong Kong Cricket chief executive, said: "Ordinarily, neither a Board nor the ICC comments on matters relating to ACU activities or investigations, but, following a range of comments and subsequent media reports that suggested that the Hong Kong team is under investigation, we feel it is imperative to clarify these misleading and damaging reports.
"The HKCA has received confirmation from Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the Chairman of the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit, that the Hong Kong squad is under no greater scrutiny than any other squad involved in the current ICC World Twenty20 India 2016.
"David Richardson also clarified in a press conference in Delhi on Wednesday that all teams involved in the ICC World Twenty20 2016 will be equally monitored, as per usual ICC practice, to isolate them from any attempts to corrupt them or the results of their matches."
"Sir Ronnie Flanagan has expressed his deepest gratitude for HKCA's assistance in the ongoing fight against corruption, and in particular, our support of recent ACU activities," Cutler added.
"Naturally, we are very disappointed that this matter has been raised in this manner and at this time, but we thank the ICC for clarifying the matter, and publicly supporting Hong Kong and our efforts to combat corruption.
"We are here to play cricket, and will now move on from this matter to focus on the remainder of the tournament."
Hong Kong play their final match of the World T20 against Scotland on Saturday following defeats against Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.