Sharjeel, Khalid handed spot-fixing evidence

Sharjeel Khan

LAHORE: Pakistan cricket authorities on Friday handed spot-fixing evidence to opening batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif as a court rejected an appeal challenging the investigation.
Khalid had challenged the ongoing spot-fixing inquiry in Lahore high court but had to appear before the anti-corruption unit of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Khalid, 31, is one of five players charged with spot-fixing and other related offenses during the Pakistan Super League held in February and March earlier this year.
A three-member tribunal headed by a retired judge is investigating the issue.
A Lahore high court official said Khalid was directed back to the tribunal.
“Khalid had challenged the authority of the anti-corruption unit but his request was rejected,” said the official.
The PCB said it has submitted evidence against the players to the tribunal.
“PCB submitted its opening brief to the tribunal which details its claims along with all the supporting evidence. This includes, among other material, witness statements, recorded interviews, match footage, and copies of certain WhatsApp voice messages,” said a PCB release.
A copy of the evidence was also presented to Sharjeel and Khalid.
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.
In England, Jamshed released a video message rejecting allegations against him.
“I have no link to whatever is said about me and I am not hiding from PCB. I am ready to co-operate with the PCB but after completing inquiry in Britain,” Jamshed said in the video.
Jamshed was arrested by the National Crime Agency in February in connection with the case but was bailed until the end of this month.
The tribunal said the players have until May 5 to respond to charges, after which day-to-day proceedings will start from May 19.

Afghanistan star Shahzad fails drugs test

Afghanistan’s big-hitting batsman Mohammad Shahzad has tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol and will be suspended, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said Thursday.
The 29-year-old wicketkeeper, a key player in the team’s charge toward potential Test match status, returned a positive test in an out-of-competition test conducted on January 17 at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
“The ICC today announced that Afghanistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad has been charged with an anti-doping rule violation under the ICC Anti-Doping Code,” said a statement from the governing body in Dubai.
“The sample analyzed at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City, was found to contain the presence of Clenbuterol, a prohibited substance.”
Shahzad, who made his international debut in 2010, has played 58 matches in each of the ODI and Twenty20 formats.
He has scored 1,901 runs in one-dayers with a best score of 131 not out while smashing 1,779 runs in T20 with a high of an undefeated 118.
Shahzad is the fourth highest run-maker in T20 internationals, even passing Indian superstar Virat Kohli in the rankings when Afghanistan whitewashed Ireland 3-0 earlier this year.
The ICC said that he will be banned from April 26 “unless he exercises his right to challenge the imposition of the provisional suspension before such date.”
“The matter will now be dealt with in accordance with the process set down in the code, and until such time as the process is resolved, the ICC will make no further comment on this matter,” added the statement.