Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday charged batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif for alleged breaches of its anti-corruption code and gave them 14 days to submit their response after the players denied charges relating to corruption. The PCB confirmed in a statement yesterday that Sharjeel and Latif had been charged for breaching various articles under Clause 2, including specific ones to attempt to corrupt a game, as well as more general misdemeanours of failing to disclose suspect approaches.

Pakistan Super League chairman Najam Sethi said if the players accepted charges relating to corruption, then the PCB would form a disciplinary committee to decide on the quantum of punishment each player receives.

“While if they do not accept the charges within the given time frame, then a tribunal will be formed which will include a judge, a former cricketer and a renowned and respected member of the society.” He also said that the players would have the right to appeal in court. “The players have been given 14 days to submit their response. All the things have been written in the charge sheet and will be revealed once the process is complete. We can’t reveal the details at the moment,” added Sethi. Earlier on Wednesday, Sharjeel and Latif reached Lahore to submit their official statements to the PCB regarding these allegations against them. The Islamabad United pair were provisionally suspended last week from the ongoing Pakistan Super League and subsequently sent back to Pakistan from the United Arab Emirates after they were found to be involved in a spot-fixing scandal by the cricketing authorities. They were also provisionally suspended from PCB’s central contracts.

In the immediate aftermath of those developments, Zulfiqar Babar from Quetta Gladiators and Shahzaib Hasan of Karachi Kings, were also questioned. But both have been cleared and have continued to play for their franchises. The other key figure in the investigation is another left-handed opener who has represented Pakistan – Nasir Jamshed, who was arrested in the UK by the National Crime Agency last Monday but released on bail until April. Jamshed was one of two men arrested.