Lahore (Staff Report): A three-member anti-corruption tribunal, Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday has banned opening batsman Sharjeel Khan for five years in the PSL spot-fixing scandal.
Justice (retired) Asghar Haider headed the PCB’s tribunal and announced the verdict on Pakistan opener Sharjeel Khan’s case on its alleged role in spot fixing.
Sharjeel Khan was suspended on suspicion of five breaches of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Anti-Corruption Code.
Sharjeel and another opener Khalid Latif were charged by the PCB for alleged breaches of its Anti Corruption Code, during the second season of the PSL in the UAE.
The PCB had charged the duo for breaching various articles under Clause 2, for attempts to corrupt a game, and for failing to disclose suspect approaches. Both had challenged the harges and a tribunal was formed to hear their cases.
The specific articles both are alleged to have violated are: 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.4.4 and 2.4.5. In addition, Latif is alleged to have breached 2.1.4.
Both players had denied some of the alleged breaches they were accused of but admitted to at least one of the more minor charges that was related to not reporting the corrupt approaches.
The charges are mainly centred on the opening game of the second season of the PSL, as well as activities around it, in Dubai. Islamabad United had registered a comfortable seven-wicket win, by the D/L method, over Peshawar Zalmi. Sharjeel was dismissed for 1 off four balls and Latif did not play the game. Both players were provisionally suspended by the PCB and were sent home with immediate effect.