ICC’s top cop hails PCB over stance against corruption

PCB discriminating in spot-fixing case, claims Sharjeel’s lawyer

KARACHI: At a time when it is being lambasted by some critics for its handling of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing case, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday received thumbs up from world cricket’s anti-corruption boss.

Ronnie Flanagan, chairman of International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit, hailed PCB over its strong stance against corruption in the game.

Flanagan spent a busy day at the Board headquarters in Lahore as he appeared before an anti-corruption tribunal probing the PSL corruption case and also held meetings with top PCB officials.

The PCB tribunal is currently adjudicating Test cricketer Sharjeel Khan’s PSL spot fixing case.

Flanagan spoke to the media after his appearance at the Tribunal. He applauded PCB’s strong stance against corrupt practices in the game.

“It is a privilege as Chairman ICC ACU to assist in a small way since it is purely a matter of the PCB management and the Security Department. We are only trying to assist in the process; I must say that the Tribunal proceedings are taking place in a very professional way.

“As Chairman ICC ACU I work very closely with domestic anti-corruption units around the world and I must add that the PCB, Anti-Corruption and Vigilance Unit have shown great determination in their fight against corruption. It would be inappropriate to discuss exact evidence at this stage, the inquiry was absolutely led by the PCB, at a certain stage we reached intelligence from the British Crime Agency, we simply passed that information to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department and they already had the same intelligence, it was, if you like a corroboration of what they already knew and what they were already engaged in. The intelligence was shared before the start of the PSL (2017 edition),” he concluded.

Flanagan met Chairman PCB Shaharyar Khan and Chairman Executive Committee Najam Sethi.

Shaharyar Khan and Sethi thanked him for assisting the PCB Anti-Corruption and Vigilance Department in the ongoing Spot-Fixing hearing and reiterated PCB’s zero-tolerance stance towards corruption. The Chairman and Chairman Executive Committee added that the PCB will continue its fight against corrupt elements to protect the game, there is a strong case against the accused players and the PCB remains determined to bring the case to its logical end besides punishing errant players who have sullied the game with their selfish acts and greed.

Our correspondent adds from Lahore: The defence counsel of Sharjeel Khan will present Islamabad United head coach Dean Jones, former Test cricketers Sadiq Mohammad and Mohammad Yousuf in his defence.

Sharjeel challenged the PCB policy and declared it of having double standards on day four of the hearing

The PCB came up with Flanagan, but the defence counsel Shaigan Ejaz claimed that he came to the witness box for testimony on the request of PCB ACU chief Col Azam Khan so it did not strengthen the PCB’s case.

“All the PCB witnesses have different points of view which strengthen our case,” he told reporters.

He added that Umer Amin had admitted to have known bookie Yousuf for the last three years. He said the PCB was treating cricketers differently. It was lenient with some players and harsh with others, he alleged.

PCB’s legal advisor Taffazal Rizvi said that the defence counsel has the right to object to the PCB witnesses. “Everything will be clear when the decision is announced,” he said.