PSL match-fixing scandal: NA panel irked by bookies’ incursions

Asks PCB to share match-fixing probe details with the committee

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel has censured the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its ‘poor performance’ as well as its ‘failure’ to stop bookies from establishing contact with cricketers.

Last week, PCB suspended two Islamabad United batsmen – Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif – for their alleged involvement in match-fixing during the ongoing T20 league – Pakistan Super League (PSL) – whose second edition kicked off in Dubai on Thursday.

The country’s cricket governing body also started investigations into the role of a few other players – through it clarified it was not going to suspend them.



The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) on Monday discussed involvement of corrupt elements in the PSL and showed concern over the development.

“It was unanimously decided that the inquiry already ordered by the PCB/ICC [International Cricket Council] may be held impartially and its outcome may also be shared with the standing committee in its next meeting for further action,” said a statement issued after the meeting.

“The committee underscored the need to eliminate the corrupt elements from the PCB to save the good name of the country,” it added.

The meeting – held in the PCB committee room under the chair of MNA Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan – was scrutinising budgetary proposals relating to the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) in respect of the IPC’s ministry and its attached departments for the next financial year 2017-18.

The PSB director general briefed the committee on the IPC ministry’s ongoing, as well as newly approved and unapproved projects.



The panel showed its dissatisfaction over the time consumed in the construction of Narowal Sports Complex. The panel was informed about the reasons for delay in the work and was assured that 70% work on the complex had been completed. The remaining work will complete shortly, the panel was told.

The IPC ministry was apprised on the ongoing projects that were put before the panel for approval.

It said there were 13 ongoing projects costing Rs2,119.728 million, 10 new (unapproved) PCB projects worth Rs896.184 million, one PCB project of Rs100, one of the IPC ministry amounting to Rs38 million and 5 Pakistan Boy Scouts Association projects amounting to Rs216 million.

The total budgetary proposals regarding the PSDP for the year 2017-18 were Rs3,370 million.



After detailed discussion, the budgetary proposal was unanimously approved with the direction to consult the members including Muhammad Afzal Khan and Maulana Amir Zaman for inclusion of incomplete work of sports complexes in their constituency.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2017.