PSL players foil fresh approach by bookies:PCB official

Sharjah [Pakistan], Mar.3 (ANI): A couple of players from ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) were once again approached by a bookmarker, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official has revealed.

The PCB official informed that the players, whose identities have not been disclosed, were targeted by a bookie through social media websites, but the cricketers opted to immediately report the matter to the country's cricket board.

"A couple of players were approached through social media apps but they did not respond to the bookie and reported the matter to us.We are watching out for the culprits," the Dawn quoted the PCB official, as saying.

Last year, the second edition of the PSL was marred by spot-fixing scandal after which several players faced suspensions.

The spot-fixing allegations were related to a match between Latif's team Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi in Dubai in February last year.

Khalid Latif and Sharjeel Khan both were handed a ban of five years each last year after they were found guilty of spot-fixing and other violation of the board's anti-corruption code.

However, Sharjeel's half of the ban was later suspended by the anti-corruption tribunal of the PCB, based on circumstantial evidence.

While fast bowler Mohammad Irfan and all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz were also suspended for twelve and two months, respectively for not reporting the approach from bookies on time, the probe is also ongoing against former Pakistan opener Nasir Jamshed for his alleged role in PSL spot-fixing scandal.

The PCB's Anti-Corruption Tribunal had last week also handed a one-year suspension to cricketer Shahzaib Hasan besides imposing a fine of Rs 1 million on him for breaching three clauses of the board's code of conduct for players--for luring cricketers into spot-fixing, not reporting approaches by the bookies on time and hiding information regarding his contacts with the bookies.(ANI)