Former Pakistan opener Sharjeel Khan who has was handed a five-year ban by the Anti-Corruption Tribunal of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for his alleged role in spot-fixing during the previous edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has made up his mind of appealing against the punishment.
On Wednesday, the southpaw was found guilty on all five accounts by the anti-corruption and hence was slapped with a five-year ban by the board. The left-hander can resume playing after 30 months, but he has to satisfy the prerequisites of the Pakistan Cricket Board to make a return.
However, as per reports in PTI, Shaighan Ejaz, the lawyer of Sharjeel confirmed that the left-handed batsman will appeal against the ban imposed on him but on which ground the appeal should be made will be decided after the full order comes by September 7.
“Yes we have decided that we will appeal the ban as we have our reservations over the tribunal finding Sharjeel guilty of three major charges which include doing spot-fixing and agreeing to spot-fix a match in the Pakistan Super League,” Ejaz said.
Ejaz further added that the PCB had failed to submit any clear evidence against Sharjeel during all these hearings.
“When the Board could not produce any evidence against Sharjeel confirming that he agreed to spot-fix a match in the PSL, we are not happy with the decision, and we plan to appeal it when the time comes,” Ejaz quipped.
The left-hander’s ban is effective from February 10, 2017 – the time when he was convicted for the first time during the first week of PSL 2. He was sent back home from Dubai. He also stressed on the fact that PCB failed to provide any witness or a video or audio which suggested that Sharjeel had a direct connection or met the bookie in person.
“There is no question of any financial transaction taking place between my client and this bookmaker and nothing of this sort was shown before the tribunal. There is no evidence to suggest Sharjeel did spot-fixing at any time,” he said.
Meanwhile PCB’s legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi stated the board too had a reservation with the tribunal’s decision to not impose any fine on the cricketers and the punishment eventually being a ban.
“We have reservations that despite being charged on all counts, the tribunal did not impose any fine on Sharjeel. We also have issues with two years and six months of his five- year ban being a suspended sentence,” Rizvi said.