Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan star cricketer Sharjeel Khan was slapped with a five-year ban by a three-member Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) anti-corruption tribunal here Wednesday for his role in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing. Sharjeel will not be able to play any form of cricket for at least 30 months, after which he may be allowed to play domestic cricket until the completion of the ban – subject to the terms and conditions set by the PCB. The 28-year-old dashing left-handed opener had been provisionally suspended along with fellow opener Khalid Latif in February for violating the PCB’s anti-corruption code. The charges centred on a match between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi in Dubai. Off four balls, Sharjeel scored a single, failed to score off two deliveries and was then out. Sharjeel, playing for Islamabad United, was charged with five major breaches of the anti-corruption code and was found guilty on all five counts by the three-man tribunal. Two-and-a-half years out of the five-year sentence are suspended, meaning Sharjeel cannot plot a return to cricket before the second half of 2019 at the earliest. Sharjeel was present at his sentencing but did not take questions.

Sharjeel’s ban will take effect from when he was first suspended, on February 10, 2017. Potentially, his ban could have been for life, but he has been given the minimum punishment on all charges. Spot-fixing involves bets on the outcome of a particular passage of play, unlike match-fixing in which there is an attempt to prearrange the result. Latif, who did not play in the game, was alleged to have orchestrated the deal. The tribunal is expected to rule on Latif’s case next month.

“Sharjeel is banned for five years, which has two-and-a-half years suspended,” said Asghat Haider, who headed the three-member tribunal. “We hold that Sharjeel has committed all offences as charged by the PCB under its code.” Former PCB head Tauqir Zia and former Pakistan captain Wasim Bari were the other members of the tribunal formed in March. Under the PCB code players can appeal rulings before an independent arbitrator within 14 days of the decision. Four other players – Mohammad Irfan, Shahzaib Hasan, Nasir Jamshed and Mohammad Nawaz – were also included in the investigation on multiple charges. Irfan and Nawaz admitted not reporting the bookmaker’s offer. Irfan was banned for one year with six months suspended and fined one million rupees. Nawaz was banned for two months (one suspended) and fined 200,0000 rupees. Jamshed, who is being investigated by Britain’s National Crime Agency, was said to be the “go-between” linking the players and the bookie. His case and Hasan’s is still under investigation by the tribunal.

Sharjeel’s lawyer, Shaigan Ijaz, said they would appeal against the ban. “We were expecting acquittal against the spot-fixing charges and we are going to appeal against them,” Ijaz said immediately after the verdict. “We are not complaining against the behaviour of the tribunal members, but we are objecting to the decision. As we understand, those three serious charges have not been proven. For now, we have concerns and will lodge an appeal after having a full, detailed order in the next 14 days.” Sharjeel’s career blossomed last year when he cracked a hundred in the first edition of the Pakistan Super League. He then hit a blistering career-best 152 against Ireland and has played for Pakistan in all three formats. The proceedings against Sharjeel included testimony from Andrew Ephgrave, operations manager of Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and from Ronnie Flanagan, head of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) anti-corruption unit. The NCA was said to have passed the initial information on the fixing to the International Cricket Council (ICC), which later informed the PCB of the allegation.

Najam Sethi all praise for PCB anti-corruption tribunal: PCB chairman Najam Sethi hailed the decision as vindication of the board’s ‘policy of zero tolerance against corrupt practices in the game.’ He commended PCB’s anti-corruption and vigilance department “for identifying the culprits and nipping the spot-fixing scandal in the bud through their prompt action.” Sethi, while welcoming the verdict, added that the PCB would continue to work for the elimination of corrupt practices from cricket. “The anti-corruption tribunal’s verdict against Sharjeel is a vindication of our policy of zero tolerance for corrupt practices in the game of cricket,” Sethi said in a statement released by PCB after the verdict. “The anti-corruption and vigilance department of PCB deserves great credit for identifying the culprits and nipping the spot-fixing scandal in the bud through their prompt action,” he added. Sethi hoped that the other three players, Khalid Latif, Shahzaib Hassan and Nasir Jamshed, would be dealt accordingly to the intensity of their offences. “The PCB hopes that the three remaining players will be dealt with in accordance to the proportionality of their offences,” said Sethi. “The PCB will continue to fight all corrupt elements that attempt to tarnish the game both at the domestic and international level,” he maintained.

Pakistan has a history of such cases, with former captain Salim Malik and paceman Ata-ur-Rehman banned for life after a match-fixing inquiry in 2000. Six top players — Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saeed Ajmal, Akram Raza and Inzamam-ul-Haq — were also fined in the same case. Another former captain Salman Butt and pace bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif were banned for five years and jailed in Britain in a spot-fixing case in 2010. Former leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is serving a life ban over a 2009 spot-fixing case in English county cricket.

Published in Daily Times, August 31^st 2017.