Khalid Latif’s plea against five-year ban rejected

LAHORE: An independent adjudicator on Wednesday rejected cricketer Khalid Latif’s plea against his suspension in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing case.

During a hearing of the plea, adjudicator Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar maintained the five-year ban handed to the cricketer by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) anti-corruption tribunal last year, after he was found guilty of spot-fixing and other breaches of the board’s anti-corruption code.

Khalid Latif had also been fined one million rupees for his role in the spot-fixing scandal. However, the adjudicator waived the amount keeping in view that the cricketer’s career has effectively ended.

PCB legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi, speaking to media after the latest development, emphasised that the ban is intended to serve as a deterrent to others.

“The board [is not fond of] slapping [such bans]. It does so in order to set an example [to others as a deterrent],” he said.

Along with Latif, fellow Islamabad United opener Sharjeel Khan was also suspended by the PCB for five years after the anti-corruption tribunal found him guilty of playing a role in the corruption as well.

Fast bowler Mohammad Irfan and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz were also suspended for twelve and two months, respectively, for not reporting the corrupt approach to the board in a timely manner.

The probe is ongoing against Karachi Kings batsman Shahzaib Hasan and former Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed.