Pravin Tambe played with banned Mohammad Ashraful in US

Tambe said he didn’t know until he got down on pitch about Ashraful’s involvement

IPL star leg-spinner Pravin Tambe was spotted as reported by ESPNcricinfo, in USA participating in a Twenty20 tournament alongside banned Bangladeshi player, Mohammad Ashraful. Tambe said he was unaware of the fact that Ashraful is taking part in the match until he took field.

"I had no idea it was an official tournament," Tambe said. "I had just gone there to visit my friends in the US for a week of holidays and I was enjoying. I did not even have a kit with me."

Tambe said he played a match on July 26 with his friends and then he was told that there’s one practice game tomorrow and he went along with them.

"I was told it was a practice match. When I went to the ground I realised it was Twenty20 match," he said. "Till I went into the ground and stood at my fielding position I had no clue that he [Ashraful] was also playing. Even my friends did not know. They were told that some other friend had got him."

Tambe said he found himself in a position where he couldn’t decide anything when asked that why didn’t he pull out as soon as he saw Ashraful.

"I did not know he was also playing. And I just went there to play a simple game of cricket with my close friends. I told my friends and the organisers I would not like to play in any other game after the incident."

According to ESPNcricinfo website, many such tournaments take place every year. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said that the board will look into the matter and comment.

"We have to look into the board's guidelines exactly and then comment on it," Chowdhury said. "Since it is happening frequently, we will look closely… We have to see the board's anti-corruption rules and procedures before we can say anything about it."

Chowdhury added that Ashraful is banned from taking part in any authorised cricketing activities.

"The tournament or match you are referring is outside our jurisdiction," he said. "Number two, the players within our first-class contract who have participated in an unauthorised cricket event without board's permission, or without NOC, will be addressed in accordance with the board's policy.

"It won't be right to comment whether it is disapproved cricket or not. What we understand is that this is not official cricket. Whether this is a neighborhood tournament, we have to find out."

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), Tambe's state board in India, said the player had not sought permission to participate in the tournament and it was unaware of his involvement. An ICC spokesperson was quoted saying by the website that he would revert once he had more information.

Ashraful is currently serving a five-year ban imposed on him by the BCB for his role in fixing during the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League.