Sharjeel banned for 5 years over PSL ‘fixing’
lahore — Pakistan’s anti-corruption tribunal on Wednesday banned opener Sharjeel Khan for five years over a spot-fixing case that has rocked the Pakistan Super League, the latest scandal to taint the sport in the cricketcrazy country.
The 28-year-old dashing lefthanded opener had been provisionally suspended along with fellow opener Khalid Latif in February for violating the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) anticorruption code.
The charges centred on a match between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi in Dubai in February.
Off four balls, Sharjeel scored a single, failed to score off two deliveries and was then out.
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.
Both were also charged for not reporting the matter to the PCB’s anti-corruption unit, resulting in an additional six month suspension for Sharjeel.
“Sharjeel is banned for five years, which has two-and-a-half years suspended,” said Asghat Haider, who headed the threemember tribunal.
“We hold that the participant (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. —