Afghanistan U19 players reported being approached by suspected fixers during the 2020 U19 World Cup in South Africa, highlighting the vulnerability of youth cricketers to corruption.
During the 2020 ICC U19 World Cup in South Africa, it emerged that players from the Afghanistan U19 team had been approached by suspected match-fixers. The players reported the approaches to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), which launched an investigation. The incident was alarming because it demonstrated that corruptors were targeting teenagers in youth cricket.
The approaches reportedly came through social media and in-person contact, with individuals offering money in exchange for performing specific actions during matches — the hallmark of spot-fixing. The Afghanistan players were praised for reporting the approaches immediately, but the incident raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of young cricketers, particularly those from countries with less robust anti-corruption education.
The ICC's ACU acknowledged that youth tournaments were increasingly being targeted by corrupt elements. Unlike senior international cricket, U19 tournaments often have less security, less media scrutiny, and players who are more susceptible to financial inducements — many U19 cricketers come from modest backgrounds and are not yet on professional contracts.
The incident prompted the ICC to enhance its anti-corruption education programs for youth tournaments, making anti-corruption briefings mandatory for all U19 World Cup participants. The investigation into the specific approaches was ongoing, and while no players were charged with any offence, the episode served as a wake-up call about the need to protect cricket's youngest participants from corruption.
No players were charged. The ICC strengthened anti-corruption education at youth tournaments. The Afghanistan players were commended for reporting the approaches.
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