Pakistan Cricket Board rejects Sharjeel Khan’s appeal for relaxation in spot-fixing ban

Sharjeel Khan, the left-handed Pakistan batsman, was handed a five-year suspension by a three-member anti-corruption tribunal of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The southpaw took part in the 2017 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), representing Islamabad United where he was found guilty for spot-fixing. His last match was against Peshawar Zalmi in Dubai.

However, he cooperated with the country’s cricket board and decided to undergo rehabilitation and his ban is scheduled to expire on August this year. In the meantime, the PCB has rejected Khan’s appeal to allow him to play domestic cricket before his suspension ends.

“Sharjeel in his application had appealed to the Board chairman, Ehsan Mani to use his discretionary powers under the anti-corruption code and give him relaxation to play domestic and club cricket before his ban ends in late August,” Shaigan Ejaz, Sharjeel’s lawyer was quoted as saying in India TV.

Six more months for Sharjeel Khan

His lawyer mentioned that his client made the appeal to Ehsan Mani, the PCB chief, on grounds that the board had earlier given relaxation to fast bowler Mohammad Amir, who made his international return during the 2016 Asia Cup in Bangladesh where he first played against MS Dhoni’s India.

Amir started playing domestic cricket before his five-year ban, surrounding the infamous Test at the renowned Lord’s Cricket Ground, ended on September 2015. Meanwhile, Sharjeel accepted all five charges laid out against him by the tribunal for violating the anti-corruption code.

Sharjeel made his international debut back in 2013 during an ODI against Sri Lanka in Sharjah. A few days later, he forayed into ODI cricket as well against Afghanistan at the same venue. It took him four more years to make his Test debut against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Khan made his last national appearance in an ODI back on January 26, 2017, versus the Aussies.

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