PCB bans Khalid Latif for five years for spot-fixing in PSL

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a five-year ban and a fine of one million rupees on batsman Khalid Latif for his involvement in spot-fixing during the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

In a short order released today, the three-member tribunal of PCB headed by a former High Court judge Asghar Haider found Khalid guilty on all six breaches of the Cricket Board’s anti-corruption code.

It said all the penalties imposed on Khalid will run concurrently with the maximum being five years and a fine of one million rupees to be recovered by the PCB.

Khalid’s lawyer Badr Alam, however, outrightly rejected the verdict and said the tribunal was not authorised to take such a decision.

“We don’t accept this decision and we have already filed a challenge in the Supreme Court against the tribunal,” he said.
PCB’s legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi said the Board was not satisfied with the penalties imposed on Khalid and would contemplate appealing for a longer ban.

“We stand vindicated in our fight against corruption as all six charges we had brought up against Khalid have been accepted by the tribunal. The evidence we submitted during the hearings confirmed spot-fixing,” he said.

Rizvi said PCB’s legal department was still considering whether to also challenge the five-year ban imposed on Sharjeel and ask for a longer ban.