Pakistan form tribunal to investigate PSL fixing

LAHORE — Pakistan on Monday formed a three-member tribunal headed by a retired judge to investigate a spot-fixing case allegedly involving two players in a recent Twenty20 league match. Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif were unceremoniously sent home after the first match of the Pakistan Super League last month and were later charged in a corruption probe that threatened to undermine the tournament. British police have arrested three suspects in connection with the case including discarded Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed, who was released on bail. Shaharyar Khan, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said former Lahore high court judge Asghar Haider would head the inquiry. “A three-member tribunal has been formed under Justice Haider and its members will be Tauqir Zia and Wasim Bari,” Khan told AFP. Zia is a former military general who also headed the board between 1999-2003 and Bari is a ex-Pakistan captain and manager. If convicted both players face life bans for violating the board’s anti-corruption code by allegedly meeting a suspicious man linked to an international betting syndicate. They were provisionally suspended last month but both deny the charges. Sharjeel Khan was seen as a fast-rising opener, having hit three half-centuries during Pakistan’s last one-day series in Australia. He was also contracted to play for Leicestershire in this year’s Twenty20 blast. The 27-year-old had played one Test, 25 one-dayers and 15 Twenty20 internationals for Pakistan. Latif was part of Pakistan’s team in last year’s World Twenty20 in India. He has so far played five one-day and 15 Twenty20 internationals. Misbah to lead Pakistan in Windies test series The Pakistan Cricket Board has retained 42-year-old Misbah-ul-Haq as skipper for next month’s Test series against the West Indies. The PCB said Monday in a statement that Misbah told Shaharyar Khan of his desire to continue as captain and the chairman approved the move. Twenty20 and ODI captain Sarfraz Ahmed was appointed Misbah’s deputy for the Test matches against the West Indies. The Test series will begin in Jamaica on April 22, following by Test matches in Barbados and Dominica. Prior to the Test series, Pakistan will play four Twenty20 internationals and three ODIs against the West Indies. There were question marks on Misbah’s future since Pakistan was whitewashed 3-0 in Australia, where he could score only 76 runs in six Test innings. But the PCB chairman had left it to Misbah to decide his future. Shaharyar had always maintained that if Misbah decided to continue playing test matches he would continue to lead the team. Misbah has been Pakistan’s most successful test captain with 24 victories since he was appointed skipper in 2010 after three Pakistani cricketers were banned for spot-fixing. Last year, Pakistan briefly rose to No. 1 in the test rankings after it defeated the West Indies 2-1 in the United Arab Emirates.