Aaron Jones was set to lead the USA Cricket team in five T20 World Cup 2026 matches. However, just under two weeks before the tournament, officials reported that the 31-year-old was no longer fit to participate.
The ICC has charged Jones with five breaches of its anti-corruption code, which occurred two weeks prior to a scheduled hearing. These charges are mainly linked to his involvement in the 2023–24 Bim10 tournament organized by the Barbados Cricket Association.
The ICC and Cricket West Indies (CWI) allege that Jones attempted to fix matches, failed to report corrupt approaches, and did not cooperate with the investigation. They also claim he obstructed the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) by allegedly hiding or tampering with important evidence.
According to the Barbados Cricket Association, each player in the 14-day competition received US$62.50, or roughly INR 5,745, for each match. The tournament included knockout rounds with semifinals and finals featuring players from six franchises who competed in 10 league matches.
Overall, Jones earned between US$625 and US$750, which is about INR 57,456 to 68,947, for the entire Bim10 season. He has represented International cricket through teams like the Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket and the St Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League.
Jones’s participation in a tournament for US$750 would be unusual since the Seattle Orcas paid him US$35,000, roughly INR 32.15 lakh, for his services in 2023. This situation raises questions about players’ activities.
USA Cricket announced its T20 World Cup 2026 squad today, and Jones is not included due to his suspension, even though he was initially part of the plans. During training in Sri Lanka, he scored 15 runs from 10 balls and 10 runs from 12 balls in two warm-up matches against Sri Lanka ‘A’.
As things stand, Jones will have to follow the tournament from home, as the ICC has given him a two-week period to contest the corruption charges against him.
