ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which is probing Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing case, on Thursday summoned four Pakistani cricketers to record their statements on March 20 and 21.

Giant left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan and discarded opener Nasir Jamshed have been directed to appear before the FIA’s investigators on March 20 while batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif have been asked to appear before FIA on March 21.

However, the FIA did not summon Shahzaib Hassan who is also among the suspected players. A spokesman of the Interior Ministry said that if Shahzaib does get accused for any foul play or contacts with the bookies, he could be summon at a later stage.

It may be recalled here Pakistan Cricket Board’s anti-corruption unit is also probing the matter which surfaced during the PSL’s second season held in the UAE last month where Sharjeel, Khalid, Irfan and Shahzaib were said to have met with the bookies after the inaugural league match between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United in Dubai.

Both Sharjeel and Khalid were issued chargesheets by the PCB but they refused to accept any of the charges and now a tribunal has been formed to investigate the matter. However, tall pacer Irfan has been suspended for not reporting the matter to the authorities despite his links with the bookies.

Earlier this month, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had said that it will undertake forensic examination of the available evidence on spot-fixing allegations during the PSL and the information provided by the PCB to fix responsibility on people involved in it.

Speaking to media here on Thursday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that spot-fixing case is not a matter of few players but a matter of respect of the country. “Few people (accused players) can’t be allowed to tarnish the image of the country,” he said.

“This is a corruption case and FIA will reach all persons involved in this case.”

He added that the PCB, which is cricket’s governing body, could register FIRs against the accused cricketers and could impose bans where requied. “After inquiry, if corruption and match-fixing is proved, then FIA could register FIRs to send the accused to jail,” he said.

AFP from London adds: New Zealand’s Luke Ronchi is to replace Sharjeel Khan as one of Leicestershire’s overseas players in English county cricket’s Twenty20 Blast following the Pakistan batsman’s domestic suspension for match-fixing.

With Sharjeel’s cricket future uncertain while a tribunal considers his case, Leicestershire will look to wicket-keeper/batsman Ronchi, who has a strike rate of 141.33 in 32 Twenty20 Internationals to provide similar fireworks.

“The contractual status of Sharjeel Khan is a private matter between Leicestershire CCC and the player, and so unfortunately it is not something that we are able to comment on at this stage,” said a club statement.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2017