Shahzaib to challenge PCB's spot-fixing charge

Shahzaib Hasan

Karachi: Discarded Pakistan batsman Shahzaib Hasan has decided to challenge the Pakistan Cricket Board's charge against him relating to the spot-fixing scandal in the Pakistan Super League.

Shahzaib, who played in the 2009 World T20 Cup in England that Pakistan won, confirmed he would be filing a detailed reply to the notice issued to him through his lawyer.

The Karachi based batsman has been charged under different clauses of the anti-corruption code of the PCB with having contacts with bookmakers, trying to induce other
players into spot-fixing and setting up meetings between players and bookies.

"I am innocent and I have done nothing wrong. I reported the offer made to me to the Board. I will fight this case," he said.

Besides Shahzaib, two other Pakistan batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif have also decided to contest the charges laid out against them by the Board and the PCB has already formed a three-member tribunal to hear their cases.

The tribunal headed by a former judge of the Lahore High Court, Asghar Haider is yet to give a date for the hearing.

Sharjeel and Khalid have also been charged under different clauses of the anti-corruption code which deal with spot-fixing. Khalid is also charged with trying to incite other players into fixing.

As a result of the fall-out from the spot-fixing scandal in the PSL, the PCB has also suspended two other players Nasir Jamshed and pacer Muhammad Irfan.

The five players who are now suspended from all cricketing activities are said to have played a role one way or the other in the spot-fixing scandal in PSL.