Brendan Taylor reveals being conned and blackmailed to do spot fixing, set to be banned by ICC

Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor took to Twitter on Monday (January 24) and made a major revelation. Taylor revealed how an Indian “businessman” tricked him into doping and blackmailed him later. The cricketer also revealed that the fraud threatened him to do spot fixing in international matches. This had a severe impact in the veteran’s physical and mental health and hence, he’s set to undergo rehabilitation on January 25 to get his life on the right track.

The incident dates back to October 2019, when Zimbabwe players were reeling with financial crisis as the national board failed to pay them fees. In fact, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had banned suspended Zimbabwe after the country’s cricket board, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), was unable to keep out government’s interference with the board’s administration. Hence, dark clouds were looming over the cricketers in the country.

At the same time, an Indian “businessman” approached Taylor regarding sponsorships and the potential launch of a T20 competition in Zimbabwe. The cricketer was also given a sum of INR USD$15 000 for his visit to India.

Brendan Taylor recalls in a trap

“I can’t deny I was a little wary. But the timing was such that we hadn’t been paid for 6 months by Zimbabwe cricket and it was questionable whether Zimbabwe would be able to continue playing in the international arena. So I made the journey. The discussions took place, as he had said, and on our last night in the hotel, the businessman and his colleagues took me for a celebratory dinner,” wrote Taylor in the statement.

Brendan then revealed that the frauds made him consume drugs and pictured the whole incident to blackmail him later. “We had drinks and during the course of the evening they openly offered me cocaine, which they themselves engaged in, and I foolishly took the bait,” stated Taylor.

“The following morning, the same men stormed into my hotel room and showed me a video taken of me the night before doing cocaine and told me that if I did not spot fix at international matches for them, the video would be released to the public,” he added. Although this whole incident put the cricketer in a terrible mental space, he claimed of not being involved in any sort of fixing.

To my family, friends and supporters. Here is my full statement. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/sVCckD4PMV

— Brendan Taylor (@BrendanTaylor86) January 24, 2022

Meanwhile, Taylor also mentioned that the ICC is set to impose a multi-year ban on him and he would accept it. He also urged the youngsters to learn from the story not fall in any such trap.

“I would like to place on record that I have never been involved in any form of match-fixing. I may be many things but I am not a cheat. My love for the beautiful game of cricket far outweighs and surpasses any threats which could be thrown my way,” the 35-year-old added.