PCB charge Nasir Jamshed for violating five anti-corruption codes
PCB has finally slapped former Pakistan Test batsman Nasir Jamshed for breaching five anti-corruption rules that after a year of suspicion of his involvement in the spot-fixing scandal in Pakistan Super League, last year. He is already serving a one-year ban for non-cooperation in the investigation.
After a gruelling 12-month investigation the PCB has finally taken a major move against Jamshed as its anti-corruption unit formally charged the batsman for violating five anti-corruption codes, which include fixing matches, accepting money to influence games, and influencing other players to get involved in corrupt activities.
The officials involved with the case have stated that the board had overwhelming evidence against the player but was waiting for the NCA to share their evidence. And although an NCA official appeared as a witness through aĀ video link in one PCBās tribunal hearing, they didnāt share the evidence as such. However, PCB took action after evidenceĀ emergences against Jamshed in a collection of WhatsApp voice recordings allegedly between him and others were leaked to the media.
"The Pakistan Cricket Board has today issued a notice of charge to cricketer Nasir Jamshed, wherein he has been charged with multiple violations of Articles 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3, 2.1.4 and 2.4.4 of the PCB's Anti-Corruption Code for Participants ("the Code"). Nasir Jamshed now has fourteen (14) days to respond to the notice of the charge," a statement said, reported ESPN Cricinfo.
The player, meanwhile, has not only denied all the allegations but also threatened to take PCB to court for maligning his name. Based out of Birmingham, the player has been communicating with PCB through his Lahore-based lawyer. He even appeared before the tribunal via video link.
Jamshed was arrested in theĀ UK by the National Crime Agency (NCA) in February last year after his name came up in the case but was quickly released on bail. Though the investigation is still believed to be going on, the officials familiar with the case believe that Jamshed is not the centre of NCA's investigation.
Jamshed, who last played an international game for Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup and in domestic cricket in December 2016, was the fifth Pakistani player to get sanctioned pertaining to the spot-fixing case, which spoiled the second PSL season last February. The others are Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Nawaz, who were all fined and banned for various periods of time.