ICC stops funding Cricket Canada for 6 months, raises serious questions on governance

The International Cricket Council has given a major blow to Cricket Canada by suspending its funding for six months. The ICC informed Cricket Canada of the decision this week, but full details of the governance issues have not yet been released.

Financially, the decision is a huge blow to Cricket Canada, as according to 2024 figures, 63 per cent of the board’s total revenue, or about 3.6 million Canadian dollars, came from ICC funds alone. There will be no immediate impact on the activities of national teams, but there could be problems in the long term.

Cricket Canada has been embroiled in controversy for quite some time now. The T20 World Cup match between Canada and New Zealand has become part of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit’s investigation. An alleged audio leak by former head coach Khurram Chohan has emerged, accusing former board members of pressuring players in player selection and match-fixing. In addition, the appointment and dismissal of former CEO Salman Khan, who was accused of covering up past cases, was also controversial and Calgary police also filed fraud and theft charges against him, which he denied.

The decision came after an investigative program broadcast in Canada revealed a lack of financial oversight and alleged violations of ICC policies at Cricket Canada.