LONDON: British police said on Tuesday they had made two arrests in connection with bribery offences as part of an investigation into allegations of spot fixing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) being played in the United Arab Emirates.

A statement issued by Britain’s National Crime Agency said “two men in their thirties” were arrested on Monday and had been released on bail until April pending further inquiries.

The statement added: “We are working closely with the Pakistan Cricket Board and International Cricket Council’s anti-corruption units.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board has launched its own investigation, which has resulted in the suspension of three players.”

The three suspended players — Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif and Nasir Jamshed — have all represented Pakistan in international cricket.

Sharjeel and Latif were suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board from the ongoing PSL Twenty20 tournament following accusations they met a suspicious person linked to an international betting syndicate in the UAE.

Jamshed, who made the last of 68 appearances for Pakistan across all three formats nearly two years ago, is not taking part in the PSL.

Nevertheless, the PCB said on Monday he had been provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket for “violating its anti-corruption code”.

Sharjeel and Latif, playing for Islamabad United in the PSL, were sent home last week following what the PCB said was an “an ongoing investigation into an international syndicate which is believed to be attempting to corrupt the Pakistan Super League”.

Sharjeel Khan has a contract with English county side Leicestershire to play in the domestic Twenty20 Blast tournament later this year.

A spokesman said on Friday that the club would make no comment on the investigation or the status of Sharjeel’s contract.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2017