LAHORE: Pakistan Wednesday hit former opener Shahzaib Hasan with a one-year ban and a million rupee ($9,050) fine for a spot-fixing incident that rocked the country’s Twenty20 League last year.
Hasan, 28, was a member of Pakistan’s World Twenty20 winning team in 2009 but had not played any international cricket in the past eight years.
Hasan, who was playing for the Karachi Kings, was one of six players charged with various breaches of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s anti-corruption code during the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) held in the UAE.
“Hasan has been banned for one year and fined one million rupees on one charge and we have requested for more action against him on inducing other players for fixing,” board legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi told the media.
Hasan, an aggressive opener, played three one-day internationals and 10 Twenty20 internationals before losing his place due to poor performance in 2010.
The PSL was rocked by scandal in February last year when it was announced that several players were caught in a spot-fixing incident.
Spot-fixing involves determining the outcome of a specific part of a match rather than the overall result, and is therefore harder to detect than match-fixing.
The PCB formed a three-man tribunal which later banned Sharjeel Khan for five years (two and a half suspended) while Khalid Latif was banned for five full years and fined one million rupees.
Mohammad Irfan was banned for one year (six months suspended), Mohammad Nawaz for two months (one suspended) and Nasir Jamshed for one year.
The third edition of the PSL is currently being staged in the UAE, with two play-offs in Lahore and the final in Karachi on March 25.
The PCB took extra measures to stem spot-fixing, with all six teams in this year’s league monitored by anti-corruption officers.
Pakistan has a history of fixing, with former captain Salim Malik and Ataur Rehman banned for life in 2000.
A spot-fixing case during Pakistan’s tour of England in 2010 ended in five-year bans on then Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir.
Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria is also serving a life ban on charges of spot-fixing during a county match in England in 2009.
Pakistan ban Shahzaib Hasan for year in cricket fixing case
Pakistan ban Shahzaib Hasan for year in cricket fixing case
Desert Vipers chief urges side to focus on playoff, not ILT20 trophy
- The Vipers, the most successful team this season with eight wins from 10 matches, take on the Emirates knowing the winner will secure a direct place in the final
DUBAI: The Desert Vipers’ director of cricket, Tom Moody, has urged his side to focus on the immediate challenge of Qualifier 1 against MI Emirates on Tuesday rather than lifting the DP World ILT20 trophy.
Speaking on the Vipers Voices podcast on Monday, Moody said: “You do not look at the prize, as simple as that. Yes, we all want to be successful. Yes, we all want to win trophies, but if you get too obsessed with that mission, you end up falling short.”
The Vipers, the most successful team this season with eight wins from 10 matches, take on the Emirates knowing the winner will secure a direct place in the final.
Moody, a former World Cup winner with Australia, stressed the importance of approaching the game positively and executing a perfect performance with bat, ball and in the field.
“If we just take that positive outlook and draw on the experience we have had, concentrate on just trying to put together our perfect game, we should be in good hands,” he said.
Moody acknowledged the strength of MI Emirates, led by Kieron Pollard, and highlighted the challenge of playing at Abu Dhabi, where the opposition is familiar with the conditions.
“They play most of their games there, so that is an advantage for them. But at the end of the day, you are not really playing the opposition; you are playing the ball,” he added.
Reflecting on the Vipers’ season, Moody said five of their eight league wins came in the final over, giving the team experience under pressure.
“It gives important lessons for the team and builds trust within the playing group,” he said.
He also addressed the impact of the cooler conditions in the UAE and dew on the finals series, saying the team must adapt regardless of the toss.
“From my perspective, the mindset we need to share is that it does not matter. We just need to adapt,” he said.
