Sharjeel Khan to appeal five-year spot-fixing ban: sources

LAHORE: Opener Sharjeel Khan is set to appeal against the five-year ban imposed on him by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Anti-Corruption Tribunal in the wake of the Pakistan Super League spot-fixing scandal, sources close to the cricketer revealed.

Sharjeel has decided to file the appeal with an independent adjudicator, as allowed under the PCB anti-corruption code, this week ahead of the September 22 deadline, said the sources.

The 28-year-old has reservations over the tribunal’s verdict, which is why he has decided to approach the PCB to request that an independent adjudicator hear the appeal. He had the option of filing the appeal either with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland or an independent adjudicator of the board, and he chose the latter option, the sources said.

The PCB earlier this month released the detailed verdict of the Anti-Corruption Tribunal against the opening batsman, stating that it reached “irrefutable conclusion” that Sharjeel was involved in breaching the code of conduct.

The 60-page verdict, available on the PCB’s website, said that Sharjeel not only met with the alleged bookie but also executed the plan as discussed.

“The narration of the events, as made by the PCB, in the opening brief and substantiated by witnesses and circumstances narrated before us, not only by the witnesses of PCB, but by other relevant material available on record, we have come to the irrefutable conclusion that not only spot fixing was discussed by Mr. Sharjeel Khan, but was meticulously executed by him in a text book manner, in the mode and manner agreed,” read the verdict.

Half of the five-year ban on the opener remains suspended.