Pakistan cricketer Sharjeel Khan banned by PCB for 5 years over spot-fixing

Islamabad: Test cricketer Sharjeel Khan has been banned for five years for spot-fixing. The Pakistan Cricket Board's anti-corruption tribunal backdated the ban to Feb. 10, 2017, when Sharjeel was first suspended during the Pakistan Super League. He was sent home from the United Arab Emirates along with Islamabad United teammate Khalid Latif.

Half of Sharjeel's sentence will be suspended if he goes through the PCB's rehabilitation process.

PCB legal advisor Tafazzul Rizvi says the punishment vindicates the cricket board's stance that it had solid evidence against the batsman. Sharjeel's lawyer says they will appeal.

The three-member tribunal was headed by retired Lahore High Court judge Asghar Haider, with former PCB chairman Tauqir Zia and former Pakistan captain Wasim Bari as its members.