Publications
Partners
Lahore - The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday
banned all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz for one month and fined him approximately $2
000 after he admitted failing to disclose an approach by a bookmaker to engage
in corrupt practices.
The 23-year-old, regarded as a bright prospect for Pakistan,
was part of the Twenty20 squad in the West Indies in March but returned home
without playing a match.
He becomes the second casualty of a wide-ranging
investigation after fast-bowler Mohammad Irfan was banned for six months with
six suspended and fined $10 000 after admitting to similar charges.
Four other players - Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif, Nasir
Jamshed and Shahzaib Hasan are also under investigation by a three-member
tribunal and are provisionally suspended.
The cases pertain to corruption in the Twenty20 Pakistan
Super League (PSL) held in United Arab Emirates in February to March this year.
The PCB has so far not revealed any details about the cases,
including the identities of the bookmakers, what they asked players to do, and
the amounts involved - though unconfirmed reports have cropped up in the local
media.
"Nawaz was charged with a single violation, on one
occasion, which he failed to disclose to the PCB vigilance and security
department, full details of the approaches and invitations received by him to
engage in corrupt conduct," the PCB said in a statement issued on
Wednesday.
It added that the player's admission of guilt had led to a
lighter sentence.
Nawaz, who appeared for the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL,
has so far played three Tests, nine one-day internationals and five Twenty20s.
His last international outing came during an ODI in
Pakistan's tour of Australia in January.
If found guilty, the four remaining players face bans ranging from five years to lifetime, because their charges related to more serious offences and they have not admitted their guilt.
