Pakistan cricketers Khalid Latif and Sharjeel Khan were provisionally suspended on Friday by the PCB on corruption charges and sent back home from Dubai, where they were competing in the T20 contest, Pakistan Super League.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that the two players had been suspended as part of an ongoing investigation into an international syndicate which is believed to be attempting to corrupt the PSL, which kicked off Thursday.
Opener Sharjeel recently toured New Zealand and Australia with the Pakistan team and is the only player to have scored a century in the PSL eliminator last year.
Both the players were representing defending champions Islamabad United in the ongoing PSL. While Khalid didn't play in the opening match, Sharjeel fell cheaply leg before wicket.
The PCB said that Sharjeel and Khalid will remain suspended from all cricket as the PCB, supported by the International Cricket Council (ICC), continues its rigorous and wide-ranging investigation as part of collective efforts to protect the integrity of the sport.
“It would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of the case, however this investigation is a clear demonstration of our determination to drive corruption out of the sport,”Najam Sethi, Chairman, PSL
"We will not tolerate any form of corrupt activity and as this investigation proceeds, we will not hesitate to take further decisive action as appropriate," Sethi said.
"The investigation of the PCB Anti-Corruption Unit, backed by the ICC ACU, has been effective in dealing with this case to date and we will continue to work in the closest collaboration as the investigation proceeds," Sethi added.
He said the PCB is absolutely committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who would seek to damage the integrity of the sport.
‘We Have Evidence’, Says PCB
PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan confirmed that there was evidence of the wrongdoings of Khalid Latif and Sharjeel Khan.
We have evidence, definitely have evidence. We have proof against a few and are trying to gather evidence against more. We need to be very strict with such people who are trying to corrupt the game, we’ll give exemplary punishment to corrupt elements.
The league’s chairman Najam Sethi said, “We were expecting bookies and that's why we were extra-vigilant for PSL 2. Then we got evidence that there is some wrongdoing and we took action”.
The players had allegedly been questioned for meeting a suspicious person said to be a bookmaker before and after Thursday's match, which Islamabad won against Peshawar Zalmi, a source told PTI.
This is not the first time that Pakistani players have been involved in match fixing. In 2010, Muhammad Aamir, Salman Butt and Muhammad Asif were banned for five years for spot fixing during the England tour.
Three years back, Test leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was banned for life by the England and Wales Cricket Board for spot fixing in county cricket.
Left-arm pacer Aamir has returned to the Pakistan team after completing his five-year ban in 2015.
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