Mohammad Irfan still being investigated over PSL fixing scandal: PCB Chairman

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan on Monday said that Mohammad Irfan is still under investigation over the PSL fixing scandal.

Addressing a press conference earlier today, Shahryar said the Islamabad United pacer is still being investigated over suspected links with an international fixing syndicate and has not been cleared as yet.

The PCB chairman added that apart from Irfan and the two suspended players Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif, the other players have been cleared.

“Zulfiqar Babar and Shahzaib Hasan were questioned but have been cleared. There’s no action against them.

“However, Irfan remains under investigation but no show cause notice has been issued to him yet,” he added.

Shahryar said the board has issued show cause notices to Sharjeel and Latif today, and a show cause notice may also be issued to Mohammad Irfan over the next one or two days.

Shahryar Khan said that a lack of education is to be blamed for such regretful incidents.

“It is because of lack of education that some players resort to fixing. A lot of boys end up making mistakes because they are not educated enough. This incident also happened because of this reason,” he said.

Shahryar added that the day the PSL started, players were given lectures by the Anti-Corruption Unit and warned against match fixing and corruption.

“The same day some of these players went to meet bookies,” he lamented.

The chairman said the ICC was made fully aware of the incident, and praised the board’s Anti-Corruption Unit for its vigilance and swift action.

Shahryar added that both Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif will be given opportunity to respond and defend themselves.

“Both of them were on the flight back home with me, I met them and made them ashamed of themselves,” the chairman said.

“I told them they have let their families down, they have let themselves down,” Shahryar added.

The chairman said that once investigation is completed, a disciplinary committee will be formed which will be headed by a judge.

‘Giles Clarke recommended foreign teams should visit Pakistan’
Shahryar Khan said Giles Clarke, president of the England and Wales Cricket Board and chairman of ICC’s Pakistan Task Force, recommended in his report that foreign teams should visit Pakistan.

“Giles Clarke noted in his report that there has been a more than 80% decline in terrorism in Pakistan,” the chairman said.

Shahryar added that the PCB has invited ICC’s board of directors to Lahore to watch the PSL final.

“Giles Clarke also said the PSL final should be held in Lahore,” the chairman said.

Shahryar said the Bangladesh Under-23 team is ready to tour Pakistan.

Nepal and Afghanistan have been invited, UAE is also being invited, he added.
The PCB chairman hailed the new ICC ruling on the ‘Big Three’ as “very important”, adding that India would very likely oppose the new changes.

“The final decision will be taken by the ICC in June,” Shahryar said.

The ICC earlier this month agreed to scale back the powers of the so-called ‘Big Three’ nations namely, England, Australia and India, in an attempt to distribute decision-making more fairly.