Marshall vows to drive corruption out of Bangladesh cricket
Alex Marshall, the former head of the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit, has warned that those trying to fix matches in Bangladesh will find no place in the game.
Marshall, once a senior officer in Britain’s police force, landed in Dhaka this week to start a year-long role as consultant to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
His arrival comes at a tense time, with an independent probe digging into allegations of spot-fixing during the last Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season — including claims that one match had been valued at 400 crore taka.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Marshall said his first task will be to build a new ethics and integrity wing inside the BCB.
“The aim is not only to punish but to prevent,” he said. “We’ll make sure players, coaches and officials know the risks and the consequences. Anyone who tries to corrupt cricket here will be removed.”
Earlier, Marshall met with BCB president Aminul Islam, chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury and director Iftekhar Rahman.
He laid out how the board’s anti-corruption arm could be reshaped, and officials later confirmed it will be reorganized on the back of his advice.
Marshall brings weighty credentials.
At the ICC, he oversaw high-profile cases that ended with bans for stars such as Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, Zimbabwe’s Heath Streak and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, who was suspended in 2019 for failing to report approaches from fixers.
Asked if the BPL risks being seen as a “soft target” for betting syndicates, Marshall did not mince words.
“Any poorly managed league is vulnerable,” he said. “The BPL must show professionalism at every level — from team ownership to security on the ground. Otherwise, the wrong people will look to take advantage.”
Marshall stressed that his role is not just about policing. He wants to build what he called “a culture of honesty,” ensuring young cricketers grow up with clear ideas of fair play. His brief also includes anti-doping work, which he handled at the ICC.
“This is about protecting the sport for fans and players alike,” he said. “Bangladesh lives and breathes cricket, and it deserves a game that is clean and beyond question.”