KARACHI: Pakistan's cricket board Friday rejected pleas by two former national players for help in overturning lifetime bans for charges related to match-fixing.
Former spinner Danish Kaneria was banned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2012, while ex-skipper Saleem Malik was struck off in 2000 by the Pakistan board on the recommendation of a judicial commission.
Kaneria, charged for inducing his Essex county team-mate Mervyn Westfield to concede runs in a 2009 match, was left unable to play or coach in any country under International Cricket Council (ICC) rules and lost a subsequent appeal.
"The life ban was imposed by the ECB and upheld by all ICC members, you have lost an appeal so as such, you are advised to approach the ECB as per the rules," the PCB said in a statement following his request.
Pakistan's most successful spinner with 261 wickets in 61 Tests, Kaneria has previously accused the country's cricket authority of targeting him for being a minority Hindu -- a charge vehemently denied by the PCB.
Malik also sought the PCB's help to start a coaching career.
But the board ruled that Malik has refused to respond to separate ICC claims that he was recorded telling an undercover reporter how to fix matches.
It said it "will be unable to proceed any further until such time you respond on the said matter."
Malik's ban was lifted by a Pakistan civil court in 2008, but the move was not endorsed by the ICC.
Malik, 57, played 103 Tests and 283 one-day internationals for Pakistan.
Pakistan rejects Kaneria and Malik's pleas to help lift bans
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Pakistan rejects Kaneria and Malik's pleas to help lift bans
- Both players faced match-fixing charges and were banned for life
- With 261 wickets in 61 Tests, Kaneria counted among Pakistan's most successful spinners
Pakistan spin out Australia in second T20I to take series
- Salman Agha’s 76 and Usman Khan’s 53 lift Pakistan to 198-5, their highest T20I total against Australia
- Pakistan’s spinners take all 10 wickets as Australia are bowled out for 108, sealing an unbeatable 2-0 series lead
LAHORE: Skipper Salman Agha hit his highest score in the shortest format before Pakistan’s spinners routed Australia by 90 runs in the second Twenty20 international in Lahore on Saturday.
Agha hit a 40-ball 76 and Usman Khan smashed a 36-ball 53 as Pakistan made 198-5, their highest-ever T20I total against Australia.
This was enough for Pakistan’s spin quintet who shared all ten wickets between them with Abrar Ahmed returning the best figures of 3-14 and Shadab Khan finishing with 3-26.
Australia were routed for 108 in 15.4 overs, giving Pakistan their biggest T20I victory over Australia eclipsing the 66-run win in Abu Dhabi in 2018.
“It has to be a perfect game,” said Agha. “We batted well and then were outstanding with the ball. Fielding was outstanding.”
The victory gives Pakistan an unbeatable 2-0 lead after they won the first match by 22 runs, also in Lahore, on Friday.
“We want to play in the same way, forget the 2-0 scoreline and come again with the same intensity and go to the World Cup with the same energy,” said Agha of the event starting in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.
This is Pakistan’s first T20I series win over Australia since 2018. The final match is on Sunday, also in Lahore.
Despite skipper Mitchell Marsh coming back after resting on Friday, the visiting batters had little answer to Pakistan’s spin assault.
Ahmed dismissed Marsh for 18, Josh Inglis for five and Matthew Short for 27.
Cameroon Green top scored with a 20-ball 35 before spinner Usman Tariq dismissed him on his way to figures of 2-16.
Marsh admitted Pakistan were better.
“Pakistan outplayed us,” said Marsh. “Hopefully, we can improve and come back tomorrow. They put us under great pressure in batting; it was probably a 160-170 wicket so they scored a big total.”
Earlier, Agha and Usman led Pakistan to a fighting total after they won the toss and batted.
Agha built the innings with Saim Ayub (11-ball 23) during a second wicket stand of 55 as Pakistan scored 72 runs in the power-paly.
Agha’s previous highest in all T20 cricket was 68 not out.
After Babar Azam failed with a five-ball two, Usman helped Agha add another quickfire 49 for the fourth wicket before Sean Abbott broke the stand.
Agha smashed four sixes and eight fours in his sixth Twenty20 half century.
Pakistan added a good 61 runs in the last five overs with Usman knocking two sixes and four fours in his second T20I half century while Shadab’s knock had two sixes and a four.
The Usman-Shadab fifth-wicket stand yielded 63 runs off just 39 balls.
Shadab finished with an unbeaten 20-ball 28.
Pacer Xavier Bartlett and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann were expensive, conceding 92 runs between them in their eight overs.
