Hope for banned Pak pacer Amir as ICC approves revised anti-corruption code

The ICC approved its revised anti-corruption code, which makes it possible for a banned player to play domestic cricket before the end of his international ban.

The revision in the code has given fresh hope to banned Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir to return to action while serving a spot-fixing ban that ends in September 2015.

ICC Chairman N Srinivasan explained the conditions under which a banned player can play domestic cricket before the end of his punishment.

"The revised Code makes provision for a banned player to gain an early return to domestic cricket in certain circumstances," said Srinivasan.

"When exercising his discretionary powers in this regard, however, the Chairman of the ACSU (ICC Anti-Corruption unit) will consider a number of factors, including the level of remorse shown by the player, his/her co-operation with the ACSU's education programme and/or if the player has helped the ACSU by disclosing all information that, in turn, has helped it to enforce the Anti-Corruption Code in respect of others engaged in corruption conduct," added the official.

The amendments to the code were ratified by the ICC Board that met in Dubai for two days.

The ICC Board also made some decisions on the upcoming World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

The most notable of them is that there will be "no super over in tied matches in the knock-out phase".

If such a scenario arises in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, the side finishing in the higher position in the group stage will progress. If the final is tied or if the match yields no-result, then the teams will be declared joint winners.

Besides that, the Decision Review System will be used in all 49 matches of the tournament and reserve days will only be kept for the knock-out phase.

On the prize money for the mega event, the world body announced that that the tournament Down Under will see a 20 per cent increase from the 2011 edition held in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The winner will take home $ 3.75 million compared to the $ 3.25 million India received for lifting the trophy four years ago.

The runner-up will get $ 1.75 million, $ 250,000 more than last time around.

The Board also accepted the Pakistan Cricket Board's nomination of its former chairman Najam Sethi, for the ICC Presidency.

Sethi's nomination will now be ratified by the General Council at the 2015 Annual Conference, following which he will take over from Bangladesh's Mustafa Kamal for a period of 12 months.