LAHORE – The Appellate Tribunal of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) onWednesday waived a Rs1 million fine imposed earlier on disgraced cricketerKhalid Lateef for his involvement in spot-fixing, but upheld the five-yearban handed to him.
The right-handed top-order batsman had faced six charges, including that ofpersuading or attempting to persuade three other cricketers — MohammadIrfan, Shahzaib Hasan and Sharjeel Khan — to get involved in spot-fixing.
The reports of the cricketers’ misdoing had surfaced on the opening day ofthe second Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 tournament held in Dubai lastyear.
Khalid was tried by the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Tribunal (ACT), whichhad awarded him a five-year ban and Rs1 million fine in September last year.
After the verdict was announced, Khalid’s lawyer, Badar Alam, had saidsince the PCB did not file any appeal to enhance the punishment given toKhalid by the PCB ACT, his client is confident about fighting his case.
PCB’s lawyer Taffazal Rizvi, however, said the body did not appeal Khalid’spunishment because it considered it enough.
The Appellate Tribunal had already upheld the ACT’s order in the case ofSharjeel, rejecting the appeal of both PCB and the cricketer. The ACT hasannounced a five-year ban for Sharjeel with half of the period suspended incase he strictly adheres to the Code of Conduct of the PCB. While the PCBhad contested to get Sharjeel’s punishment enhanced, the opener had foughtfor it to be reduced.