LAHORE: Northern’s top-order batter Zeeshan Malik has completed a three-month suspension from all cricket on Jan 13 and now he will start the rehabilitation process to be cleared for resuming competitive cricket, the PCB said on Saturday.

Right-handed Zeeshan was suspended on Oct 14, 2021, for breaching the PCB Anti-Corruption Code. On Nov 18, 2021, he was issued a notice of charge under Arti­cle 2.4.4* of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, while on the same day he pleaded guilty as charged.

“On Dec 31, 2021, both the PCB and Zeeshan, in accordance with PCB Anti-Corru­ption Code Article 5.1.12**, reached consensus on the agreed sanction of the imposition of a three months’ period of ineligibility from the date of his suspension (Oct 14, 2021),” a PCB press release stated on Saturday.

“As such, Zeeshan’s three-month suspension ended on Wednesday (Jan 13, 2022). However, and as part of his return to competitive cricket, Malik is undergoing a rehabilitation programme that has been designed by the PCB Secu­rity and Anti-Corruption Department,” it added.

Zeeshan in his statement said: “I offer my sincere apologies to all my colleagues, fellow cricketers and supporters for my inability to follow the PCB Anti-Corruption Code. Although I did not benefit from the approach, it was my complete failure to report the approach despite attending a number of anti-corruption lectures, and was rightly suspended from competitive cricket.

“While I ask for forgiveness, I strongly urge and request all cricketers to be aware of the corruptors, be alert of the ways they

approach and immediately report such instances to the PCB Security and Anti-Cor­ruption Department to ens­ure their reputation rema­ins intact and they are not sidelined from this great game.”

Zeeshan will now attend and deliver lectures on the PCB Anti-Corruption Code and will also participate in int­eg­ration sessions with the local sides before being allo­w­ed to resume competitive cricket.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2022