ICC has suspended Cricket Canada’s membership with immediate effect, but separated the organisation’s administrative failings from the interests of the country’s cricketers. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has suspended Cricket Canada from its membership with immediate effect.

The decision follows serious breaches of membership obligations by the Canadian board, as described by the ICC. However, the global body carefully separated the organisation’s administrative failings from the interests of the country’s cricketers.

In a move aimed at protecting players from the fallout of the governance crisis, the ICC confirmed that Canada’s national teams will remain eligible for ICC tournaments during the suspension period. The Board acknowledged that players should not be penalised for issues beyond their control and stressed the importance of keeping their development pathway intact.

To facilitate this, Cricket Canada will continue to receive ICC funding, albeit through a tightly controlled mechanism overseen by ICC management. The funding will be restricted exclusively to approved national team programmes, ensuring that player preparation and participation in international cricket can continue uninterrupted.

The suspension is not intended to be permanent. The ICC will provide Cricket Canada with a set of conditions that must be met before membership can be restored. Progress will be monitored by the ICC’s Normalisation Committee, working alongside ICC management; reinstatement depends on the Board being satisfied that the required governance and administrative reforms have been implemented.

The ICC’s decision comes as Cricket Canada battles controversy on multiple fronts, with questions over governance and integrity increasingly coming into focus.

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Over the last couple of years, the Canadian board has been in the spotlight for reasons beyond cricketing performances. One ongoing concern relates to Canada’s T20 World Cup fixture against New Zealand, which remains under investigation by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU).

The governing body is also looking into a separate matter linked to former Canada head coach Khurram Chohan. Last year, an audio recording of a phone conversation involving Chohan surfaced publicly, triggering fresh concerns within cricket circles.

In the recording, Chohan alleged that senior officials of Cricket Canada had attempted to influence team selection by pushing for certain players to be picked in the national squad. The conversation also contained allegations relating to attempts to manipulate matches, prompting the ICC’s integrity officials to launch an investigation.

The Board also reviewed developments in two other full-member nations — Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — where cricket administration has come under scrutiny in recent months.

As part of its ongoing engagement with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), two ICC Board representatives, Dr Mohammed Moosaje and Tavengwa Mukuhlani, are scheduled to visit Bangladesh to meet key stakeholders and assess developments surrounding the BCB’s electoral process.

Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja and Devajit Saikia have already held discussions with relevant stakeholders as the ICC continues to monitor developments within the country’s cricket administration.

Published on Jun 01, 2026