PCB saved Sharjeel, Latif from imprisonment: Shoaib Akhtar

ISLAMABAD: Former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday said that the Pakistan Cricket Board saved Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif from possible imprisonment over corruption allegations.

Addressing the media here, the former pacer said that both players would have been imprisoned for at least 5-10 years, if the PCB had not promptly and sent them back from the United Arab Emirates.

“Both players should be grateful to the PCB, because if they were convicted in Dubai then they would be imprisoned for at least five to ten years,” he said.

Shoaib Akhtar further said that that it was necessary that justice should be served to both players, and it was necessary that a proper investigation should be conducted in the matter

He said that it was necessary to determine whether the players acted naive and were being framed, or actually intend to commit the offence by meeting the suspect individual.

However, he said that both players should be punished for not reporting the contact with the individual to the PCB.

“Cricket is a full-time job now, which includes meeting with the media others. It is part of the job. You have to do it according to the laws of the PCB and the ICC,” he said.

Regarding the retirement of Shahid Afridi, he said that no one gives farewell to players, but Afridi deserves some sort of acknowledgement, even if a ceremonious dinner from the board for having served for more than twenty years.

Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif, who were both playing for Islamabad United during the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League, were on Feb 10 provisionally suspended by the PCB over alleged corruption offences.