Sharjeel, PCB lodge appeals against verdict

LAHORE: Sharjeel Khan on Thursday lodged an appeal against his five-year ban for spot-fixing in the Pakistan Super League earlier this year.His lawyer Shaigan Ijaz told media that an appeal had been filed, and he was confident of getting the decision overturned.

“We have filed an appeal against the decision with the board of governors,” Ijaz said. “The file will be transmitted to an independent adjudicator and proceedings will go on from there. We have contested all five charges. We believe the decision of the tribunal was based on speculation, and our cross examination of the PCB witnesses was not read properly. We believe our chances of overturning the decision are bright.”

Hours after the announcement, PCB chairman Najam Sethi took to Twitter, announcing that the PCB would also appeal the decision, believing the sentence handed to Sharjeel to be too lenient.

“PCB has appealed the sentence imposed on Sharjeel by the tribunal and is seeking a stiffer sentence,” tweeted Sethi.An independent adjudicator to hear the appeal has to be nominated within a fortnight of any appeal being lodged.

Sharjeel Khan was found guilty by a three-man tribunal of all five charges brought against him by the PCB, and had the minimum punishment — a five-year ban, half of which was suspended — handed down to him. The charges relate to spot-fixing allegedly committed by the player during the opening game of the Pakistan Super League earlier this year, where he stands accused of pre-arranging with a bookie to play two dot balls. He potentially faces a life ban.