West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has been banned for two years for his alleged links with a bookmaker during the January 2007 one-day series in India.

Samuels has been suspended from May 9 after a disciplinary committee ruled that he broke rules prohibiting players from ``receiving money, benefit or other reward which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute,'' the St. John's, Antigua-based board was quoted as saying to bloomberg.com.

The panel believes that Samuels leaked team information to a bookmaker during the India one-day series.

"The panel agreed that Marlon did receive money and that the circumstances could bring him or the game into disrepute," Deyal added.

"There was no proof he provided information."