Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday handed over spot-fixing evidence to opening batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif after the Lahore High Court rejected Kahlid’s appeal challenging the probe. Khalid had challenged the ongoing spot-fixing inquiry and the authority of the PCB anti-corruption tribunal but his request was rejected by the LHC and he had to appear before the PCB anti-corruption tribunal. “The LHC directed Khalid back to the tribunal,” said a spokesman of the PCB. The three-member tribunal, headed by retired LHC judge Asghar Haider, is investigating the issue. The tribunal includes Lt Gen (r) Tauqir Zia and former Test wicketkeeper Wasim Bari.

The PCB spokesman said the board had submitted evidence against the players to the tribunal. “The PCB submitted its opening brief to the tribunal which details its claims along with all the supporting evidence. This includes, amongst other material, witness statements, recorded interviews, match footage, and copies of certain WhatsApp voice messages,” added the spokesman. The tribunal had directed the parties to refrain from commenting on the tribunal’s proceedings, the contents of the evidence presented, or on the merits of the proceeding. A copy of the opening brief, along with all relevant material, was provided to Sharjeel and Latif and their counsels with instructions to respond to it on May 5. Sharjeel and Khalid are two of five players charged with spot-fixing and other related offences during the Pakistan Super League held in February and March earlier this year. They were provisionally suspended on February 10 over charges of accepting offers of fixing. Mohammad Irfan became the first player to be punished in the case, banned for one year (including six months suspended) last month after the lanky fast bowler confessed to receiving offers of fixing that he did not report to the PCB. Two other players – Shahzaib Hasan and Nasir Jamshed – were also provisionally suspended. Nasir was arrested by the National Crime Agency in February in connection with the case but was bailed until the end of this month.

The PCB official said that they had strong evidence against the players who were charged and wanted to follow due rules and procedures before convicting anyone. “We have the evidence to convict them as charged. The PCB will not compromise on rules and procedures for due process of accountability and justice simply to appease media appetite for controversy,” concluded the spokesman.