BCCI bans David Warner, Steve Smith from IPL 2018

New Delhi [India], March 28 (ANI): The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday banned former Australian skipper Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner from the upcoming 11th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the Cricket Australia imposed a 12-month suspension on the tainted duo for their involvement in a massive spot-fixing scandal.

Smith and Warner were due to lead Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively in the upcoming edition, but the Australian pair stepped down from the post in the wake of the scandal.

Confirming the news, IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said that the BCCI decided to bar the two players from this season of the lucrative T20 tournament, keeping in mind the Cricket Australia's decision.

Shukla further revealed that the two franchises would be given an opportunity to replace the two players.

"Well, we respect the decision of the Cricket Australia. We were waiting for the decision of Cricket Australia. Now, they have banned these players for one year. Keeping that in mind, we are also deciding that this season of the IPL these two players can't play. We will give the opportunity to both the franchises for replacements. So, they can ask for replacements of these two players. But in this IPL season, they would not be allowed," Shukla told the reporters.

The BCCI also issued an official statement to confirm the decision.

"The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Wednesday took cognizance of the developments in the ball tampering incident involving Cricket Australia contracted cricketers - Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft," the BCCI said.

"The CoA, in consultation with BCCI Acting President CK Khanna, IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla and BCCI Acting Hon. Secretary Amitabh Choudhary, has decided to ban Smith and Warner with immediate effect from participation in IPL 2018," the statement added.

Earlier, Smith and Warner had reportedly earlier handed a 12-month suspension by Cricket Australia (CA) for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal that took place during the third Test of the ongoing four-match series against South Africa in Cape Town.

Meanwhile, Cameron Bancroft, the third member found guilty in Cricket Australia's internal investigation and the player who actually tampered with the ball, has been handed a nine-month suspension.

The Cricket Australia had previously announced that it has found Steve Smith, Warner, and Cameron Bancroft guilty in the ball-tampering scandal, and suspended the trio for the fourth and final Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, beginning on Friday.

After the CA investigation, all three players were found guilty of breaching article 2.3.5 of Cricket Australia's Code of Conduct and were sent back home from South Africa on Thursday.

Following the fiasco, Smith and Warner stood down as captain and vice-captain, respectively.

Smith, who was part of the "leadership group", admitted to charges of ball tampering, which took place during the third Test match in Cape Town, and stood down from captaining the side in the remaining days of the same Test.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had initially handed a one-match suspension and fined 100 percent of his match fee to Smith for his leadership role in ball-tampering, while the global cricket body fined Bancroft 75 percent of his match fee and handed three demerit points to him for breaching Level 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct.

The incident took place during South Africa's innings on Saturday afternoon when Bancroft was seen on television holding a small yellow object while rubbing the rough side of the ball, before hiding the object in his pocket, then inside his trousers.(ANI)