Hong Kong cricket chief Burji Shroff has reaffirmed his confidence in the sport’s integrity in the city, emphasizing the importance of stringent anti-corruption measures. Shroff, who took over as chairman of Cricket Hong Kong, China (CHKC) in 2022 and was recently reappointed for another one-year term, stressed that the board remains highly vigilant regarding gambling-related threats.
Hong Kong’s cricket scene, which includes matches from five domestic competitions and international fixtures, attracts significant betting interest, particularly through live-streamed games. With the city set to host a quadrangular T20 series featuring Kuwait, Qatar, and Nepal next week, CHKC continues to reinforce its stance against corruption in cricket.
Shroff highlighted the organization’s commitment to maintaining transparency and accountability. “Before every [men’s, women’s, and age-group] tournament, the director in charge of governance and compliance talks to the team,” he stated. The presence of key figures with anti-corruption expertise further strengthens CHKC’s oversight. Board member Irene Wang is an officer for the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), while former director Anoop Gidwani, known for his influential role in cricket governance, also has a background with the ICAC.
Past incidents of match-fixing have underscored the need for vigilance. In 2019, three Hong Kong cricketers—Irfan Ahmed, Nadeem Ahmed, and Haseeb Amjad—were found guilty of corruption. The Ahmed brothers received lifetime bans, while Amjad was suspended for five years. These cases serve as a reminder of the ongoing risks in the sport and the necessity for proactive governance to safeguard cricket’s integrity in Hong Kong.
