Cricket Canada Faces ICC Scrutiny Over Controversial CEO Appointment Amid Fraud Charges
In a dramatic turn of events, Cricket Canada finds itself under the microscope of the International Cricket Council (ICC) following the contentious appointment of Salman Khan as Chief Executive Officer in January 2025. The ICC has formally requested a detailed explanation after Khan was charged with theft and fraud amounting to CAD 200,000 by Calgary Police, stemming from his tenure with the Calgary & District Cricket League between 2014 and 2016. This unfolding scandal raises serious questions about governance, transparency, and accountability within Canadian cricket administration.
According to reliable sources, including a report by Cricbuzz, the ICC dispatched a letter on May 2, 2025, demanding clarity on the due diligence process behind Khan’s appointment. The global governing body seeks specifics on whether Cricket Canada’s board was aware of the allegations prior to his selection, the timeline of when the board was informed of the police investigation, and what remedial steps have been implemented since the charges surfaced. The ICC underscored the gravity of the situation, labeling the accusations against Khan as a significant concern for his role as a cricket administrator.
Cricket Canada initiated an internal investigation into the allegations in April 2025, but the lack of subsequent updates has fueled speculation and unrest among stakeholders. Khan, for his part, has vehemently denied any misconduct, stating, “Reports of my arrest are completely false.” However, local cricket circles in Calgary have revealed that whispers of financial irregularities were rife even before formal charges were pressed on March 12, 2025, placing the board in a precarious position to justify its vetting process.
The controversy deepens with revelations about the opaque nature of Khan’s transition to CEO. Elected as a Board Director in June 2023, Khan resigned from his honorary two-year term to assume the paid executive role—a move some insiders describe as strategic to circumvent bylaws mandating directors charged with crimes to step down. Reports suggest that Board Chair Amjad Bajwa and Director Imran Rana spearheaded negotiations for Khan’s five-year contract, allegedly without full disclosure of terms to other board members. Notably, the contract lacks an at-will termination clause, potentially binding Cricket Canada to a hefty payout if Khan is ousted prematurely.
Adding fuel to the fire, Khan’s tenure as CEO has coincided with significant commercial upheavals. In December 2024, Cricket Canada terminated a historic 25-year partnership with Bombay Sports, the original owners of the GT20 franchise, opting instead for a long-term deal with the National Cricket League (NCL) Canada. This partnership has raised eyebrows, as the ICC had previously barred NCL from event sanctions due to repeated regulatory violations. Critics point out that the NCL contract was greenlit without complete transparency, with at least three directors claiming they were not privy to full details. Meanwhile, a potentially lucrative proposal from the ICC-sanctioned ILT20 based in the UAE was reportedly never tabled for discussion.
The timeline of events paints a troubling picture: Khan’s election as a director in mid-2023, his ascension to CEO in early 2025, the fraud charges in March, the announcement of the NCL partnership on April 14, 2025, and finally, the ICC’s formal inquiry in May. Cricket Canada has been given a strict 14-day window to address the ICC’s probing questions, with the response’s depth and evidence of internal communication likely to determine whether this saga ends with a clarification or escalates to disciplinary action. Associate members like Canada risk severe penalties, including funding freezes or administrative interventions, should they fail to meet ICC governance standards.
As the cricketing world watches closely, this controversy serves as a stark reminder of the importance of integrity and transparency in sports administration. For Cricket Canada, the road ahead is fraught with challenges—not just in restoring faith within its own ranks but also in proving to the ICC and global fans that it can uphold the spirit of the game. Will the board’s response satisfy the ICC’s concerns, or are we witnessing the prelude to a deeper crisis in Canadian cricket? Only time will tell.