Akhilesh Reddy gets 8-year ban for Abu Dhabi T10 match-fixing offence

• USA spinner Akhilesh Reddy received an eight-year cricket ban.
• The charges relate to the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament.
• He allegedly asked a teammate to "give runs" to the opposition.
• The ICC tribunal found him guilty of three anti-corruption breaches.
• His ban will remain in place until November 2033.

United States international cricketer Bodugum Akhilesh Reddy has been handed an eight-year ban from all cricket-related activities after being found guilty of attempted match-fixing during the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament.

The 26-year-old offspinner, who has represented the USA in four T20 Internationals, was suspended after an independent tribunal found him guilty of three separate violations under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. The International Cricket Council (ICC), acting on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board, confirmed the punishment following a detailed investigation and hearing.

The ban will prevent Reddy from participating in any cricket activity until November 2033. The lengthy suspension reflects the ICC's strict approach toward players involved in corruption attempts, especially when they try to influence teammates or interfere with investigations.

The case involved Reddy's participation with the Aspin Stallions during the Abu Dhabi T10 league. According to tribunal findings, the alleged corruption attempt took place on November 19, 2025, before one of the team's matches.

Hotel room meeting and the "give runs" allegation

The tribunal heard evidence from a teammate, identified as "Player A," who claimed that Reddy invited him to his hotel room for a private discussion before an upcoming match.

During the meeting, Reddy allegedly told Player A that he would be selected for future matches but asked him to follow one condition, he would need to "give runs" to the opposition while bowling.

Player A rejected the proposal and immediately left the room. He then contacted his agent, and the incident was reported to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit within an hour.

The tribunal noted that Player A's account was supported by events around the team's selection process. He was initially named as an impact substitute on the match sheet but was removed from the squad shortly afterward. Although the panel could not confirm the reason behind the selection change, it found the timing consistent with Player A's statement.

Reddy denied the allegations and claimed that the hotel meeting was only about discussions related to a possible USA training camp before the 2026 T20 World Cup and travel arrangements.

However, the tribunal rejected this explanation and described it as "implausible." The panel said such discussions could have easily taken place through a phone call instead of a private meeting.

Deleted messages lead to additional punishment

The investigation became more serious after officials found that Reddy had deleted WhatsApp conversations and call records connected to Player A.

Reddy argued that the deletion was part of normal phone management and described it as "routine phone management" and "data hygiene." However, the tribunal did not accept this explanation.

Investigators noted that his WhatsApp account already had an automatic 24-hour message deletion setting, but the relevant conversations had also been manually removed. The tribunal concluded that Reddy intentionally deleted information to obstruct the anti-corruption investigation.

The ICC tribunal found him guilty of three charges:

• Attempting to fix or improperly influence the outcome or progress of a match.
• Encouraging another participant to engage in corrupt conduct.
• Obstructing an investigation by deleting relevant evidence.

Reddy received a seven-year ban for the attempted fixing and solicitation charges, which will run together. An additional one-year ban was added for obstructing the investigation, making the total punishment eight years.

The ban was backdated to November 21, 2025, when he was provisionally suspended.

The decision sends a strong message to players involved in franchise cricket worldwide. As leagues such as the Abu Dhabi T10 continue to grow, cricket authorities have emphasized that protecting the integrity of the sport remains a top priority.