Cricket Canada facing corruption allegations aired in documentary

Canada's captain Dilpreet Bajwa runs to field the ball during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Afghanistan and Canada in Chennai, India, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A., file)

ISLAMABAD — Cricket’s governing body is investigating allegations of corruption against Cricket Canada that were aired in a documentary on Friday and included Canada’s T20 World Cup game against New Zealand this year.

The investigative documentary “Corruption, Crime and Cricket” by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation alleged that captain Dilpreet Bajwa’s fifth over against New Zealand was under the scrutiny of the International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption unit.

The 22-year-old Bajwa was named Canada captain just three weeks before the tournament, jointly co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

New Zealand was 35-2 when Bajwa started the fifth over with a no-ball, then bowled a leg side wide ball before eventually conceding 15 runs off the over.

“The ACU is aware of the program broadcast by CBC,” Andrew Ephgrave, the interim general manager of the ICC’s integrity unit, told The Associated Press in a statement. “Consistent with its established operating procedures, the ACU is not in a position to comment on the substance of any allegations contained within it.”

The documentary also included other allegations of corruption within Cricket Canada. A former Canada team coach, Pubudu Dassanayake, was interviewed in the documentary and claimed there was undue influence on the team selection process during the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Canadian players also faced delayed payment of their share of the prize money from the 2024 T20 World Cup and the documentary claimed national team players were uncontracted from July 2025 before they were put on retainers for four months before this year’s T20 World Cup.