Lahore:-Last year’s PSL spot-fixing scandal has claimed yet another scalp, with Shahzaib Hasan handed a one-year ban after falling foul of the PCB’s anti-corruption code. Shahzaib was found guilty on two counts of breaching Clause 2.4.4, which deals with a failure to disclose corrupt approaches, and one count of Clause 2.4.5, which concerns the failure to report any incident a player is aware of that would amount to a breach of the anti-corruption code.

Shahzaib has, crucially, been found not guilty of breaching the far more serious Clause 2.1.4, which involves “directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1.” That would have likely led to a significantly longer ban.

Since Shahzaib was provisionally suspended by the PCB on March 18 last year, his ban is less than three weeks away from its end. He has also been fined Rs 1 million (approximately 6500). However, the PCB’s legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi, speaking to reporters after the verdict, said this did not mean he would be eligible to play cricket as soon as that.

“His ban may end on March 17, but remember that according to the anti-corruption code, you have to go through a rehabilitation process. The first step towards beginning rehabilitation is the acceptance of guilt. If he does not accept that he was guilty, then his rehabilitation process cannot begin.”

Shahzaib is the sixth player to be sanctioned in the wake of the PSL spot-fixing case. Today’s events meant all six players – Sharjeel Khan (5 years), Khalid Latif (5 years), Mohammad Irfan (1 year) , Mohammad Nawaz (2 months), Nasir Jamshed (1 year) were the others – have been banned for certain lengths of time for their role in the saga. Even so, the process is not yet concluded. The PCB has slapped further corruption charges on Nasir Jamshed, which could result in a longer ban, while it is not yet clear whether either party will appeal the tribunal’s verdict on Shahzaib.

It has been more than seven years since the opening batsman Shahzaib last played for Pakistan, with his participation in their victorious 2009 World T20 campaign the highlight of his brief international career of three ODIs and 10 T20Is.

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In a recent interview to BBC Urdu, Sethi expressed hope that in view of the improving security situation in the country and the successfully-hosted T20 matches in Lahore, the time is not far when Pakistan is able to host complete ODI and Test series.

“If we prepare our stadiums, we will be able to host matches with time. I believe international cricket will be fully restored in Pakistan within two years, at most,” he said.

The PCB chief pointed out that Pakistan has already successfully hosted international cricketers [in the ICC World XI team], Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. “And West Indies will be touring in March,” he added.

About Pakistan team’s recent ODI whitewash in New Zealand, Sethi said it would take some time for the youngsters in the side to become “stars”.

“The PSL has prepared us for T20s. Now we have to prepare for ODIs and Tests.”

He expressed concern that some of the veteran players in the team no longer have the required reflexes needed for modern cricket.

“That’s why we are building a young team. It takes time for young players to become stars.”

Sethi admitted that the team tends to struggle in ODI cricket. “Now our focus in on the 2019 World Cup, and we are getting ready for it.”

He assured that cricket in Pakistan would receive a huge boost due to the new talent being discovered at school and club-level cricket and in PSL.

“You will see that the [inconsistency] will go away soon.”

On spot-fixing, Sethi said he has ensured there is zero tolerance for violators of the board’s anti-corruption code.

“There is no room for forgiveness. We are monitoring with strict vigilance. There is absolutely zero tolerance,” he added.

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