KARACHI: Sharjeel Khan is waiting for the last leg of his rehabilitation course before getting eligible to don the national colours once again.

The dashing left-handed batsman, who recently served his mandatory suspension against his role in the spot-fixing saga of the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has already featured in a club fixture in Karachi last month and has been doing net sessions as well at a recognised facility in the metropolis.

About the rehabilitation procedure, a source privy to the development said the last step of the programme will be an interaction with the national team, likely to be done prior to the Pakistan-Sri Lanka Test match in Rawalpindi.

As per the information available to this correspondent, Sharjeel had a lecture from the PCB anti-corruption unit official followed by a written test as early steps of the rehabilitation programme.

After three lectures to U-19 cricketers in Shekhupura, Bahawalpur and Karachi, the left-hander visited orphanage and other sites as part of social work and recently had an exchange with coaches at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.

The 30-year-old, who was banned for five years for his involvement in a corruption scandal in the 2017 edition of the PSL, with two-and-a-half years as suspended sentence, has included his name in the gold category for the PSL draft.

On one hand, Sharjeel is anticipating a comeback, while on the other hand, a case in England took a descisive turn where a former Pakistan batsman Nasir Jamshed is facing the final phase of National Crime Agency probe into alleged spot-fixing in the PSL 2017.

Jamshed has already been banned by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for 10 years for his role in the spot-fixing scandal.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2019