Dubai [UAE], January 28 (ANI): Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has been banned from all forms of cricket for three and a half years after he accepted breaching four charges of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code and, separately, one charge of the ICC Anti-Doping Code.

New Delhi Jan 24 PTI Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor on Monday said is facing a multi-year ban from the ICC for failing to report a corrupt approach by an Indian businessman and also claimed that he was blackmailed after foolishly taking cocaine during that meeting In a detailed confession on social media Taylor claimed that he was invited by the businessman to India to discuss sponsorships and potential launch of a T20 event in Zimbabwe besides an offer of USD 15000 in October 2019 He did not name the businessman in question We had drinks and during the course of the evening they openly offered me cocaine which they themselves engaged in and I foolishly took the bait Ive gone over it a million times since and still feel sick to my stomach reliving that night and how they played me Taylor wrote The following morning the same men stormed into my hotel room and showed me a video taken of me the night before doing cocaine and told me that if I did not spot fix at international matches for them the video would be released to the public I was cornered And with 6 of these individuals in my hotel room I was scared for my own safety Id fallen for it Id willingly walked into a situation that has changed my life forever The 35-year-old who played 205 ODIs 34 Tests and 45 T20s before retiring last year now expects the ICC to ban him for not reporting the incident back then The games governing body is yet to comment on the matter the timing was such that we hadnt been paid for 6 months by Zimbabwe cricket and it was questionable whether Zimbabwe would be able to continue playing in the international arena he said while trying to give his reasons for accepting the offer The Harare-born cricket said he was blackmailed post dinner and drinks BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit chief Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala told PTI if the incident happened in India we would like to know the details and if he has spoken to the ICC we will seek the details from the global body As of now no one has contacted us but we would like to know more about the issue Taylor said he was also given a part payment to spot fix matches I was handed the USD 15000 but was told this was now a deposit for spot fixing and that an additional USD 20000 would be paid once the job was complete I took the money so I could get on a plane and leave India I felt I had no choice at the time because saying no was clearly not an option All knew was had to get out of there When I returned home the stress of what had taken place severely impacted my mental and physical health I was a mess I was diagnosed with shingles and prescribed strong anti-psychotic medication - amitriptyline Taylor decided to report the incident to the ICC four months later and said he delayed it to protect his family The businessman wanted a return on his investment which I could not and would not give It took me 4 months to report this offence and interaction to the ICC I acknowledge this was too long of a time but I thought I could protect everyone and in particular my family I approached the ICC on my own terms and hoped that if explained my predicament my genuine fear for our safety and wellbeing that they would understand the delay Unfortunately they did not but I cannot feign ignorance in this regard I have attended many anti-corruption seminars over the years and we know that time is of the essence when making reports Taylor insisted that he has never been involved in any wrongdoing on the field I would like to place on record that I have never been involved in any form of match-fixing I may be many things but I am not a cheat My love for the beautiful game of cricket far outweighs and surpasses any threats which could be thrown my way As a result of approaching the ICC I attended multiple interviews and engagements and was as honest and transparent as I could be during their investigations Inside and outside I was beating myself up and I still wish I had sought support and advice earlier for a multitude of reasons That being said the ICC are taking the decision to impose a multi-year ban on my international cricketing career I humbly accept this decision and only hope that my story will be used as a means of encouragement for cricketers to report any approaches early Taylor will also be spending time in a rehab centre to get his life back on track And so I would also like to let you know that on Tuesday the 25th of January I am checking into a rehabilitation centre to get clean and to get my life back on track I have to tell my story now because I know people will want to hear from me To try and understand what led to this point But for many weeks I will be away and trying to get better To end I need to let you know I am sorry for those I have hurt I am sorry for those I have let down he added PTI BS KHS PM PM

New Delhi [India], January 24 (ANI): Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor on Monday admitted that he was approached by bookies in India to get involved in spot-fixing, and he revealed that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will impose a multi-year ban on him now.

Belfast [Ireland], September 13 (ANI): Former Zimbabwe skipper and wicket-keeper batsman Brendan Taylor has decided to retire from international cricket and will play his last match on Monday against Ireland.

Harare [Zimbabwe], August 20 (ANI): Craig Ervine, Brendan Taylor, and Sean Williams returned as Zimbabwe announced an 18-man squad for white-ball series against Ireland and Scotland.