3-member tribunal formed by PCB for the PSL corruption scandal

The Pakistan Cricket Board has formed a three-man tribunal to hear the cases of Khalid Latif and Sharjeel Khan – the two players who are provisionally suspended as part of an investigation into alleged match-fixing during the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The duo denied some of the alleged code-of-conduct breaches they were accused of by the PCB’s anti-corruption unit. The two were suspended last month after what the board said was an attempt to corrupt the PSL. Both the Islamabad United players were handed charge sheets on February 18, with two weeks to respond.

They were charged for breaching various articles of Clause 2 of the code of conduct, which pertains to corruption. The charges covered attempt to corrupt a game, but also misdemeanours such as failing to disclose suspect approaches.

Both players admitted to at least one of the minor charges but denied the other more serious allegations, prompting the PCB to appoint Justice (retired) Asghar Haider (head of the tribunal and a former legal advisor to the board), former PCB chairman Tauqir Zia, and former wicketkeeper Wasim Bari.

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If found guilty, the players could face sanctions ranging from suspension of a few years to a lifetime ban. If the pair had admitted to all the breaches in the charge sheet, the PCB would have formed a one-man disciplinary panel to take further action on them.

The pair was first questioned by the PCB’s anti-corruption unit right after that game. A few days later, Zulfiqar Babar from Quetta Gladiators and Shahzaib Hasan of Karachi Kings were also questioned. But both were cleared and continued to play for their respective franchises.

It is unfortunate that despite so many cases of match fixing chronicled in the game of cricket, the unethical practice still continues to plague what is supposed to be a gentleman’s game.