Operation against bookies accelerated

PCB revokes central contracts of Sharjeel, Latif

ISLAMABAD: Operation against bookies has been accelerated and the Pakistan Cricket Board on Saturday (February 11) revoked the central contracts of Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif following their provisional suspension due to spot-fixing charges in the Pakistan Super League.

Both Sharjeel and Latif were placed in “C” category in the central contracts announced in October last year, and were receiving 135,000 rupees ($US1,350) per month, besides getting match fees.

Sharjeel was due to get a promotion in the next list of central contracts, and since he had made his Test debut in Sydney in January, he was favoured to get into the A category.

Sharjeel’s contract with Leicestershire to play in the Twenty20 Blast next year is also certain to be revoked, while he looks set to also lose the lucrative contract he was offered with the Caribbean Premier League.

Sharjeel and Latif were suspended from the PSL in dramatic circumstances on Friday evening and sent back home, after being accused of spot-fixing. Both men were part of the Islamabad United franchise, the defending champions. 

Meanwhile, Sohail Khan, the father of Pakistani cricketer Sharjeel Khan, has claimed that his son did not commit any wrongdoing.

Talking to newsmen here on Saturday, Sohail expressed that he did not see any negative aspect in Sharjeel’s character as he brought him up and trained him to become a professional cricketer.

He claimed that there were as many as 1,500 rooms in the hotel where Sharjeel was currently residing for the Pakistan Super League and being a cricketer Sharjeel meets scores of individuals.

"The PCB took action on the basis of suspicion," said Sohail Khan.

It is relevant to mention that the cricket board suspended Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif on Friday for their alleged involvement in corruption regarding the ongoing Pakistan Super League season 2. The central contract of both the cricketers has been cancelled in a swift action by the PCB.

Moreover, the PCB also seized Muhammad Irfan’s mobile phone and ordered him to return to Pakistan owing to suspicion. Investigations have been launched into the scam that could dent the transparency of the mega event.

Pakistan Super League Chairman Najam Sethi affirmed that there would be zero tolerance policy for anyone involved in wrongdoing.