PSL spot-fixing row: Latif's lawyer chides PCB's tribunal for 'biased attitude'

Karachi [Pakistan], May 22 (ANI): Suspended batsman Khalid Latif lawyer has lashed out at the Pakistan Cricket Board's Anti-Corruption tribunal for donning a biased attitude in their ongoing probe into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing scandal. Earlier, PCB's legal advisor Taffazzul Rizvi had claimed that Khalid's lawyers are trying to escape from the matter, but added that the three-member tribunal has the authority to go ahead with the proceedings even if the other party refuses to appear in the trial. Hitting back over him, Latif's attorney Badar Alam, in a video statement, said that he doesn't feel he and his client could ever get any justice because of the tribunal members's past affiliation with the board. "We don't believe we can get any justice from this tribunal.Trial without our participation proves our reservations. How can you expect to have a fair trial when all the member of the tribunal served the cricket board in some capacity in the past?," Badar was quoted as saying by the Express tribune. Badar further demanded the PCB to release the trial video, something which the Latif's lawyer claims the country's cricket board is not releasing because they have made their mind to punish the player. "We demand them to release the video of the trial.They [the PCB] claim that they cannot release the video because it is their private matter, which proves that they've already made up their mind to punish the player,"he added. Earlier, Latif had boycotted the proceedings of a spot-fixing hearing after a tribunal refused to give him a copy of his recorded interview. Meanwhile, the PCB had informed that it has seized the bat grips given to Khalid Latif by a bookie which the suspended Islamabad United opener was allegedly supposed to use to indicate he would indulge in spot-fixing during the second-edition of the PSL. The 31-year-old, whose case is currently being heard by a three-member tribunal, was accused of attempting to spot-fix, accepting an offer by a bookmaker which he did not report on time, and luring other players to take part in fixing. Earlier on March 6, a three-member tribunal was formed by the PCB to investigate the spot-fixing case allegedly involving Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif . The duo was suspended by the PCB under its Anti-Corruption Code, as part of an ongoing investigation into an international syndicate which was believed to corrupt the second edition of the PSL. Both the cricketers, who play for Islamabad United franchise in the PSL, formally recorded their statements on February 18 before the anti-corruption unit of the cricket board. Four other players, including , Mohammad Irfan, Nasir Jamshed , Shahzaib Hasan and Mohammad Nawaz have also been suspended by the PCB. (ANI)