PSL scandal gets bigger; Irfan, Babar questioned

Karachi, February 11

The match-fixing scandal that has rocked the Pakistan Super League (PSL) got bigger today with the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) anti-corruption unit questioning three more players, including Test pacer Mohammad Irfan.

Irfan, who has played four Tests for Pakistan, was questioned along with Zulfiqar Babar and Shahzaib Hasan but all three have been cleared to carry on playing in PSL for the time being.

A top PCB official said it would take another 10 to 15 days to complete the investigation against suspended players Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif. The duo has been sent home on charges of meeting people linked to a betting syndicate.

PSL damaged: Miandad 

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad believes that the latest corruption scandal has done immeasurable harm to PSL and top players will avoid signing up for it in the future. “I don’t think most cricket boards and players will now be supportive of PSL. I fear the top players who care for their reputations will stay away from it. Only those players will come who want to make money,” said Miandad.

Miandad said the league has come under the scanner. “Our league was free of such controversies but now it is damaged and I don’t think it will be the same again,” Miandad said.

Former captain Aamir Sohail felt that it was a mistake to organise the league in Dubai. “PCB should have been careful while launching PSL in Dubai, which is home to syndicates.”  — PTI