Khalid Latif’s lawyer has alleged that PCB is trying to ruin the batsman’s career

Pakistan and Islamabad United batsman Khalid Latif, who was accused of spot-fixing in the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), was suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) from all forms of domestic and international cricket after he was proved guilty of wrongdoing.

The 31-year-old has decided to contest the charges pressed by the PCB and the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). Meanwhile, Latif’s lawyer Badar Alam has alleged that the PCB is trying to ruin his client’s career by repeatedly calling him for the tribunal meeting.

“The PCB are trying to ruin the career of my client. They only want to pressurise him into coming up with an agreement with the board,” he said.

He further claimed that PCB does not hold the right to call Latif for tribunal meetings since the batsman’s case is being heard by the High Court in Lahore. He further reiterated that the cricket board has no proper evidence of Latif’s involvement in any wrongdoing.

“The PCB has no proof of Latif’s involvement in match-fixing. The only thing that they have is a video message in which my client has accepted that he did meet the bookie. They do not have any proof that he was involved in fixing,” Alam was quoted as saying by Tribune.com.pk.

The lawyer also said that it will be harassment on the part of the board if it does not stop calling Latif for the meetings.

Four other cricketers including Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Shahzaib Hasan and Nasir Jamshed were also suspended by the PCB Anti-Corruption Unit for their involvement in the PSL spot-fixing case.

The ACU interrogated Sharjeel, Khalid, Irfan and Shahzaib and suspended them, but Jamshed was suspended without a hearing since he is in London where his passport has been seized by the British government

Apart from fixing, Latif was also charged with failure to act in accordance with the rules laid out by the PCB vigilance department.

While on one hand, Pakistan celebrated the comeback of cricket at home with the final of the PSL, that was successfully hosted in Lahore on the other hand, corruption charges brought shame to the cricket-loving country once again.