Khalid Latif fails to appear before anti-corruption unit

LAHORE: Khalid Latif failed to appear before the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) on Wednesday.

Latif who has already announced that he will contest spot-fixing allegations against him, had a day earlier expressed reservations over the ACU.

Following his failure to appear, it is expected that the PCB will level further charges against Khalid Latif.

Latif has been charged with breaches of Articles 2.1.1; 2.1.2; 2.1.3, 2.1.4; 2.4.4; and 2.4.5 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code.

Spot-fixing, an illegal betting practice, has been rife in Pakistan cricket in recent years. PCB officials have vowed zero tolerance in the current case, saying they have solid evidence.

Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan, 34, became the first culprit to be punished when he confessed to the only charge against him, of "not reporting an offer of fixing".

He was banned for one year, including six months suspension.

Latif and Sharjeel Khan -- both openers for Pakistan´s Twenty20 team -- were provisionally suspended and expelled from the PSL in Dubai on February 10 on charges of meeting a suspicious man linked to an international betting syndicate.

Sharjeel faces five charges on counts relating to fixing and failure to report it. Latif faces the same charges with an additional sixth charge of attempting to lure other players to fixing.

The charges against them could result in a life ban.