LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday submitted its opening brief to the three-member tribunal investigating the Pakistan Super League (PSL) spot-fixing scam as well as to suspected player Shahzaib Hasan. The opening brief also includes among other material the witness statements, recorded interviews and copies of Whatsapp messages as per the PCB official statement.

The tribunal, headed by Justice (retd) Asghar Haider and with Lt-Gen (retd) Tauqir Zia and former wicket-keeper Wasim Bari as its two members, held its preliminary hearing at the National Cricket Academy here on Thursday and received the opening brief containing details of PCB’s claims along with all supporting evidences against Shahzaib.

However, while the PCB claims that it has strong evidence against cricketers allegedly involved in the spot-fixing scam, none of the suspected players with the exception of giant pacer Mohammad Irfan have confessed to any wrongdoing as yet.

“The investigation tribunal directed all the parties that they would not make any comments regarding the proceedings of this case, the contents of the evidence presented to the tribunal or on the merits of the present proceedings,” stated a press release issued by the PCB.

“A copy of the opening brief along with all the material was also provided to Shahzaib and his counsel who shall respond by filing an answering brief before the Tribunal on May 18, 2017,” it further stated.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has again summoned other accused cricketers Sharjeel and Khalid to appear before it.

Khalid will also appear before the PCB Anti-corruption Unit which will further interrogate him in the same scandal amid availability of more information. According to sources in the board, Khalid as well as Shahzaib could be facing more charges in the next hearing.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2017