Shahzaib Hasan becomes fifth player to be suspended in PSL fixing scandal

E-Paper | December 05, 2025

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday issued a charge-sheet against opener Shahzaib Hasan and suspended him over allegations of spot-fixing during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 tournament, in a case that has so far ensnared four other current or former national stars.

The widening scandal threatens to take some of the sheen off the recently-completed PSL, which was hailed as a step towards restoring international cricket in the terror-hit country after the final in Lahore passed without incident.

According to a PCB press release, Hassan has been "provisionally suspended with immediate effect from participating in all forms of cricket".

The Karachi Kings player has been granted 14 days to respond to the notice of charge.

Hasan has been charged under the following provisions of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code:

2.1.4 Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.1.
2.4.4 Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code.
2.4.5 Failing or refusing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any incident, fact, or matter that comes to the attention of a Participant that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code by another Participant, including (without limitation) approaches or invitations that have been received by another Participant to engage in conduct that would amount to a breach of this Anti-Corruption Code.

"PCB ACU’s [anti-corruption unit] investigations into corrupt practices will continue,” said the press release.

The development in the spot-fixing scandal comes a day after the anti-corruption unit of the PCB questioned Shahzaib for three and a half hours during a hearing without being able to reach a decision whether to serve him a notice of charge.

The unit has already issued notices of charge to four cricketers — batsmen Nasir Jamshed, Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif and paceman Mohammad Irfan — in the PSL spot-fixing inquiry.

Correction: This article earlier stated that Shahzaib Hassan was the fourth player to be suspended. He is, in fact, the fifth. The error is regretted.

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Jaba jaba

Mar 17, 2017 03:10pm

Corruption ridden country with corrupt leaders, what do you expect from your sportsmen!!

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Shampee

Mar 17, 2017 03:10pm

As a nation when we will develop a stern actions against culprits of any form, then we will not require charge sheets, interrogations. Hope we start reading punishment related news some day.

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M.Saeed

Mar 17, 2017 03:27pm

How can we get corruption out of just a game, when we have corruption galore everywhere and even the people trying tacking corruption in the game of cricket, are themselves corrupt to the core?

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Ali Raza Uraizee

Mar 17, 2017 03:38pm

If cricketers are to be punished on the charges of spot fixing and corruption , why should the political leaders be spared?

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Akram

Mar 17, 2017 03:43pm

the reason why players do this is they get tempted by greed, the only way to deal with this is is to have zero tolerance and all such players should be barred from all such cricket in Pakistan for life. When you have such a severe punishment for this, automatically players will weigh up the benefits of today's bribe versus the possibility of a lifetime of income and more likely not take the bribe. At the very least they will think twice.

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Ali Raza Uraizee

Mar 17, 2017 03:39pm

@Jaba jaba Absolutely correct , I totally agree.The justice should not be biased.

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Muhammad Irfan

Mar 17, 2017 04:02pm

The PCB action against spot fixer is a good omen. They should be penalized in a manner that neither they become the part of any National or International events nor their supporters/facilitators. The Nation should understand that they should get the real flavour of sports instead of fixed ones. Hope that information sharing mechanism should be developed with all cricket playing nations to rout out the corruption from the all sorts of sports.

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Nawaz

Mar 17, 2017 04:10pm

@Jaba jaba Yes corruption everywhere,

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Puja D

Mar 17, 2017 04:17pm

Integrity lacking in sub continent.

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SHIVA

Mar 17, 2017 04:29pm

Why does everybody quote corruption in Politics here. Corruption in any form is bad. Saying that what can we expect from Sports when corruption in politics is huge is absurd. If every individual thinks corruption is bad and that destroys the fabric of the nations then it can be routed out.

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VIVAAN SINGH

Mar 17, 2017 04:34pm

Don't worry all player will back like Mohammed amir ..!!

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Mar 17, 2017 04:40pm

Well done PCB. All these actions are mandatory to nip the evil of match fixing in the bud.

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Syed

Mar 17, 2017 04:46pm

When our pm is so corrupt then what else hou can expect from rest.

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Matiya

Mar 17, 2017 04:47pm

Because of corruption, politics, nepotism, cricket is no more a charm and entertaining.

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Mar 17, 2017 04:49pm

Only Karachi, Hyderabad players, smaller fish, being targeted and the top guys spared as is usual in every department and every area of this country . .

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Rou

Mar 17, 2017 05:02pm

I thought he was the whistle blower.

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N.Sid

Mar 17, 2017 05:16pm

This is insane...PSL or for that matter any private premier league is like a gambling den, fraught with all sorts of impulsive attractions to fix and earn money...how can any young player resist, specially those who has no income and not in the national team unlike senior players who earns substantially. So Pakistan cricket board should realize that PSL is a different league and players should not be judged and suspended by their behavior in that particular PSL league. It's like you are being thrown into water and expect not to swim...with wheeling and dealing going all around. How can PCB not understand this simple thing.

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Tom

Mar 17, 2017 05:19pm

Corruption , corruption and more corruption, for God sake when are we going to get rid of fixing in Pakistan cricket. It has been going on for ages and had pcb been tough on fixers in early 90s we would not have to witness 2010. This cycle will continue till players are not banned for life.

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Bixin

Mar 17, 2017 05:21pm

Very Wrong

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Leo

Mar 17, 2017 05:39pm

Need strong character people in cricket. PSL is not gonna see the next session if this continues!

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MaLIK_AWAN

Mar 17, 2017 05:49pm

@s why do you have to bring the race card in this, Is Muhammad Irfan or Nasir Jamshed from Karachi ? My request to PCB please prosecute every single player whoever is involved even if we have to do this with all players in PSL or our national team. Please for God sake fix this mess once and for all.

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Prince of TIDE

Mar 17, 2017 06:43pm

This is turning into a complete circus and you can see from the comments below from both Indians and Pakistanis. PCB, yet again, has gone overboard with their actions. The should investigate fully and then take action. Anyone can be given a charge sheet people that does not mean they committed the crime !

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IQBAL HADI ZAIDI

Mar 17, 2017 06:50pm

Don’t ignore! All those found guilty should be ridiculed before the public and not otherwise simply because they are totally shameless lot and knowing that 3 of them had been punished in UK still they are indulging in the money making. Once they are convicted, PCB should announce through television, radio and newspapers inviting public free of charge to come to Qaddafi Stadium on such day and time to see their beloved cricketers handcuffed, head hair shaven off with blackened face parading all over the stadium and then straight to jail. They should realize that they are paid excessively higher than others and minus cricket they may not earn even 15% what PCB pays them but yet they are money greedy and disrepute Pakistan for none of its fault and therefore, I say at the full pitch of my voice that such persons so they do not deserve the least leniency and sympathy whatsoever. I dare to ask who opposes me from where how and why? Iqbal Hadi Zaidi/Kuwait/zaidi.formerdiplomat@hotmail.com

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rajesh

Mar 17, 2017 07:00pm

A wrong precedent was set by being lenient to earlier offenders... hence this result.

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foosh

Mar 17, 2017 07:10pm

@IQBAL HADI ZAIDI I feel sorry for your children

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Aamir

Mar 17, 2017 07:05pm

I dont believe one person can do... Can't we think of some big shot like PCB, leaders or external factors behind this... suspending one person may not resolve.. We need to find the ring leader. They should not disclose one by one.. Pls. arrest the Whole gang. Hope some one think about this!

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J. Gamble

Mar 17, 2017 07:18pm

@IQBAL HADI ZAIDI -You have my vote.

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Saqib ghumman

Mar 17, 2017 07:26pm

Could have been a pride for Pakistan and his family but now only disgrace.... PCB certainly need to pay them well so they then concentrate on game only...

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Naveed

Mar 17, 2017 07:43pm

When the news of Spot Fixing came into light at the start of PSL2, i think i read on some Pakistani newspaper or CricInfo that it was indeed Shazaib Hassan who informed the authorities that he and some other players have been approached. I think some PCB official also said this. So why is he being suspended for reporting an approach?

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optimist

Mar 17, 2017 08:06pm

@Naveed Shahzaid didn't send anything in writing and got a signed copy, he also didn't announce in the media. The sports reporters like Yahya cannot go against the PCG or they will not be sent on overseas tour.

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Iqbal Zaman

Mar 17, 2017 08:17pm

If proven, jail them.

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Indian4RMBLORE

Mar 17, 2017 08:25pm

Suspended players can prepare a team of Pakistan

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Babu bhai from saudabad

Mar 17, 2017 09:25pm

They are innocent until proven guilty.

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LOUDSPEAKER

Mar 17, 2017 10:19pm

As PSL spot fixing scandal breaks wide open more popular names are likely to come up. The only way to control spot or match fixing evil is by simultaneously adopting the following. - Increase the financial benefits of our cricketers to match with the cricketers of other countries like India, Australia, England, and South Africa - Enforce strict punishment to those who violates PCB's code of conduct Z Z

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Saeeds

Mar 17, 2017 10:58pm

@foosh Funny ! seem like Iqbal Shaib is ex policeman. He should be in charge of all Pakistani corruption

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Rohan

Mar 18, 2017 12:59am

Corrupt Country, or NOT, Corrupt Leaders or NOT, Corrupt people or NOT... every individual is responsible for their own ACT.... Excuses like society influence is nothing but EXCUSE. Unless and Until, there is consequences / LIFE BAN to be specific, these things won't stop, might pause for a while, but won't stop! Not being bias, even in India this has happened in past, recent Past but all of them who were involved have been banned for life....!!!!

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Aruk

Mar 18, 2017 01:41am

Don't implicate players very often until they have been proved guilty.

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Syed dani ahmed

Mar 18, 2017 02:00am

It's almost mind boggling. I heard Rashid Latif implying that Shahzaib Hassan was the player who reported the suspicious activities of other players in PSL. If this is true then the future of our cricket is doomed.

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sid

Mar 18, 2017 02:15am

@N.Sid "how can any young player resist?" - Easy - its called having courageous integrity. Something which is lacking in Pakistan cricket.

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sid

Mar 18, 2017 02:22am

@Prince of TIDE Yes but you would hope (or expect) that the PCB has some kind of evidence before suspending anyone...

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Zahid M Malik

Mar 18, 2017 04:54am

Like mohammad Amir....they should be forgiven. All citizen are pakistan they should be treated equally. Amir should have never been brought back.