Both players, provisionally suspended in September, were charged with five counts of breaking cricket’s anti-corruption rules.

The players were found guilty of all five breaches following a full hearing.

"Both Amir and Ashfaq had played cricket at the highest level for long enough to understand the threat from match fixers," said Alex Marshall, ICC General Manager – Integrity Unit.

"The two UAE players, attended several ICC anti-corruption education sessions, and knew how to avoid becoming involved in any corrupt activity.

"They failed in these obligations and let down their teammates and everyone involved in UAE Cricket, in their adopted country.

"Their lengthy ban should serve as a warning to others."

The ICC said that Ahmed and Hayat had met with a known corrupted official, known as Mr Y, in late August to early September in 2019.

The players were alleged handed AED 15,000 (£3,000/$4,000/€3,500) in cash and told them to keep it, with Mr Y saying he would "give them further details as to what they were expected to do for it at a later date".

"Neither Mr Ahmed nor Mr Hayat reported the receipt of this money to the ICC's anti-corruption unit," the ICC said.

"The UAE was due to participate in the ICC World T20 Qualifiers in the UAE in October 2019 (the “Qualifiers”) and it is alleged that the players understood that this payment of the AED 15,000 anticipated their engagement in corrupt conduct during the qualifiers, with precisely what would be expected of them to be provided at a later date.

"WhatsApp messages between the Players suggest that the Players and [Mr Y] were trying to arrange a meeting on 7 September 2019, at which, it is to be inferred, details of what they would be asked to do in the Qualifiers would be given to them.

"The Players say that this meeting did not in fact take place."

The five proven charges include Article 2.1.3, which relates to "seeking, accepting, offering or agreeing to accept any bribe or other reward to: (a) fix or to contrive in any way or otherwise to influence improperly the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any international match; or (b) ensure for betting or other corrupt purposes the occurrence of a particular incident in an international match."

They were found guilty of breaching Article 2.4.2 of the rules, which includes "failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) the receipt of any gift, payment, hospitality or other benefit, (a) that the participant knew or should have known was given to him/her to procure (directly or indirectly) any breach of the Anti-Corruption Code, or (b) that was made or given in circumstances that could bring the participant or the sport of cricket into disrepute."

The third charge related to Article 2.4.3.

The article includes "failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) all gifts (whether monetary or otherwise), hospitality and/or other non-contractual benefits offered to a participant that have a value of $750 (£586/€633) or more, whether or not the circumstances set out in Article 2.4.2 are present, save that there shall be no obligation to disclose any (i) personal gifts, hospitality and/or other non-contractual benefits offered by or on behalf of any close friend or relative of the participant, (ii) any food or beverage gifts or (iii) cricket hospitality gifts in connection with matches the participant is participating in."

The final two charges related to Article 2.4.4 and Article 2.4.5.

Article 2.4.4 relates to "failing to disclose to the ACU (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the participant to engage in corrupt conduct under the Anti-Corruption Code."

Article 2.4.5 includes "failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any facts or matters that came to his attention that may evidence corrupt conduct under the code by another participant."