PCB slams Latif's 'baseless' claims, summons him again

Karachi [Pakistan], April 29 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again issued a summon to suspended batsman Khalid Latif after he failed to turn up before the PCB Security and Vigilance department, citing concerns over the fairness of the ongoing investigation into the spot-fixing scandal. Latif has been charged for breaching six of the PCB's Anti-Corruption Code during the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The 31-year-old was issued a fresh notice on April 17 with the PCB asking the batsman to appear before its three-member tribunal on April 26. However, Latif had challenged those charges and chosen to not attend the meeting with the PCB Security and Vigilance department. Describing the allegations levelled by Latif as 'frivolous, baseless and false', the PCB said that the batsman was doing nothing except obstructing the ongoing investigations before asking him to appear before the tribunal on May 2. "The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Vigilance and Security Department has responded to cricketer Latif's letter received on April 24 and has vehemently rejected the frivolous, baseless and false allegations levelled in the letter," the Dawn quoted the PCB as saying. "The PCB Anti-Corruption Unit has to date acceded to all permissible requests by Latif and extended full cooperation as permitted under the Anti-Corruption Code. But regrettably Latif's actions appear to be solely aimed at frustrating and obstructing the ongoing investigations," the PCB said. "Therefore, in accordance with the provisions of Article 4.3 of the code Latif is again directed to appear before the PCB Vigilance and Security Department for an interview on Tuesday May 2, 2017," the country's cricket board said. Latif and Sharjeel Khan -- both openers for Pakistan's Twenty20 team -- were provisionally suspended and expelled from the PSL in Dubai on February 10 on charges of meeting a suspicious man linked to an international betting syndicate. Two other former Pakistan openers, Nasir Jamshed and Shahzaib Hasan, were also suspended in the case. Meanwhile, the PCB had last month imposed a year-long ban and a fine of one million dollar on left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan for violating its anti-corruption code during the PSL which took place in early March. (ANI)