LAHORE: Suspended cricketer Khalid Latif challenged the spot-fixing charges against him in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday.
Latif, who last month had indicated he would take the battle to the courts, has challenged the proceedings by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s anti-corruption tribunal relating to the PSL corruption allegations against him.
The batsman wrote in his petition that the PCB’s anti-corruption unit and tribunal do not have the jurisdiction to investigate the spot-fixing charges.
Latif has been charged for breaching Articles 2.1.1; 2.1.2; 2.1.3, 2.1.4; 2.4.4; and 2.4.5 of the PCB’s anti-corruption code. He faces five charges on counts relating to fixing and failure to report it, and another charge of attempting to lure other players to fixing.
Latif’s lawyer had informed during a hearing before the tribunal last month that his client had rejected all the allegations and would take the case to trial.
Latif, along with fellow suspended batsman Sharjeel Khan, is scheduled to face the PCB’s anti-corruption tribunal at the National Cricket Academy today.
The tribunal, set up to hear the alleged corruption charges against the players, is headed by retired Justice Asghar Haider and comprises former PCB chairman retired Lt Gen Tauqir Zia and former Test captain Wasim Bari.
Opener Sharjeel has been charged with breaches of Articles 2.1.1; 2.1.2; 2.1.3; 2.4.4 and 2.4.5 of the PCB’s anti-corruption code.
Both the Islamabad United openers were provisionally suspended and expelled from the PSL in Dubai on February 10 on charges of meeting a suspicious man linked to an international betting syndicate.
The charges against them could result in a life ban.
The PCB claims it has strong evidence against the charged players and will provide all evidences to the tribunal today.
Pacer Mohammad Irfan – also of Islamabad United – and Karachi Kings batsman Shahzaib Hasan were also charged in the scandal.
Irfan, who later confessed that he did not timely report the bookie’s approach to the PCB, was handed a one-year ban and Rs1 million fine.
The PCB has also formally charged former opener Nasir Jamshed, who lives in London, for refusing to cooperate in and obstructing its anti-corruption investigation.
Nasir has been charged under two different clauses of PCB’s anti-corruption code both related to individual’s role in investigation.