Zimbabwe's Brendan Taylor banned from cricket for more than three years

Taylor failed a drugs test during his final one-day international series - against Ireland in September

Former Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor has been banned from cricket for three and a half years after admitting charges related to drug use and a match-fixing approach.

Taylor claimed he was blackmailed with video of him taking cocaine used to threaten him to accept a bribe.

Taylor says he took $15,000 (£11,200) but never went through with fixing.

The 35-year-old, who took five months to report the incident, can return to cricket in July 2025.

International Cricket Council (ICC) rules state that players must report any approach to fix a game without delay.

Taylor said he was put under pressure to influence parts of games Zimbabwe were due to play against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in early 2020.

"Brendan is a former international captain who represented Zimbabwe for 17 years," said Alex Marshall, the general manager of the ICC's Integrity Unit.

"Over such a long career, he participated in numerous anti-corruption and anti-doping education sessions and knew exactly what his obligations were under the ICC Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping Codes.

"It is disappointing that a player of his experience chose not to fulfil those obligations."

Taylor told the the ICC that he had been suspicious of the businessman who approached him from the start, telling him he would not fly to India "if there's any skullduggery, or dodginess".

He added that he still has the $15,000 given to him, which is being looked after by a friend.

Taylor, who will be 39 when his ban expires, said he is planning to go through rehabilitation to help with his substance abuse.

Taylor played 35 Tests, 205 one-day internationals and 45 Twenty20s for Zimbabwe and has also played county cricket for Nottinghamshire.