PSL spot-fixing row: Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif to face bans after anti-corruption tribunal finds them guilty

The Pakistan Cricket Board has reportedly filed all its final arguments and pieces of evidence against Khan and Latif to the anti-corruption tribunal probing the matter. The duo was sent back from Dubai in February on the second day itself of Pakistan Super League after the anti-corruption unit finding them involved in suspicious activities which included meeting bookmakers. 

“The two cricketers are expected to get similar bans when the tribunal gives its verdict early next month,” a PCB official told PTI,

The tribunal, which included a former judge of the Lahore High Court, is expected to announce the verdict on Sharjeel Khan first on Wednesday and then turn their attention to Khalid Latif's case. They could face ban up to five years and also face a fine of two million rupees.

While Sharjeel has been cooperative with the tribunal by accepting its authority and appearing for all the hearings with his lawyer Shaigan Ejaz, Khalid has challenged the constitutional validity of the tribunal and its appointed members.

In fact, Khalid’s lawyer Badar Alam has also reportedly exchanged harsh words with former PCB Chairman Lt General (retd) Tauqir Zia, a tribunal member. Khalid’s attempt to challenge the tribunal in Lahore High Court has previously failed twice.

Spot-fixing scandals are not new to Pakistan cricket as prior to the PSL scandal, the Pakistan cricket team was also involved in an infamous spot-fixing incident against England in 2010, wherein the culprits included former skipper Salman Butt, and speedsters Muhammad Aamir and Muhammad Asif. Moreover, another former Test captain Salim Malik was also handed a life ban for match-fixing. The lower court had, however, overturned the ban in 2000. 

In the 2012-13 season, leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was also found guilty of fixing an English county game while playing for Essex and was given a life ban by an anti-corruption tribunal of the England and Wales Cricket Board.