Nasir Jamshed challenges spot-fixing charges framed against him by the PCB

Pakistan left-hand batsman Nasir Jamshed has challenged the spot-fixing charges that were framed against him by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The opener has also demanded that the PCB do not begin investigating him until the UK’s crime investigation agency draws a decisive conclusion with their ongoing inquiry.

Jamshed has escaped any questioning from the PCB officials as the cricketer currently resides in the United Kingdom. Since he’s being grilled by the UK’s crime agency, he has been allowed to extend his bail to June 21 in London.

The batsman was accused of spot-fixing matches in the Pakistan Super League, the annual domestic T20 tournament in Pakistan. “Basically Nasir has informed the Board through a legal response that he will be contesting the charges laid out against him in the notice sent to him earlier,” a source in the PCB said.

The Pakistan Cricket Board, however, has claimed that Nasir has been avoiding meeting officials from the board’s Anti-Corruption Unit and lawyers regarding the ongoing inquiry in the PSL spot-fixing scandal. The board had earlier suspended five of its players for allegedly spot-fixing games in the PSL.

Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Mohammad Irfan and Shahzaib Hasan are the other four players who are part of the spot-fixing ring. The left-arm paceman Mohammad Irfan has already been banned for a 12-month period. In spite of being approached by spot-fixers in the past, Irfan failed to report them to the PCB and has therefore been issued a ban.

Earlier in a video message, Nasir Jamshed assured that he would cooperate with the PCB. He sprung to fame after scoring two back to back hundreds against India when Pakistan last visited their neighbours in 2012. Pakistan went on to win the series 2-1, and Jamshed bagged the Man of the Series award for his brilliant performance.