The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Najam Sethi, has clarified his position on the inclusion of Pakistani cricketers involved in match-fixing scandals in the past.
Speaking at a press conference, Najam Sethi reiterated his firm stance on breaking the law and the rules of the game of cricket, and that no one is exempt if found guilty.
The PCB Chairman went on to say that fixers should be treated harshly, but once they have served their sentence, the cricket board should allow them to resume their career.
Sethi also discussed the inclusion of former cricketer, Mohammad Amir, and opening batter, Sharjeel Khan, who were found guilty of match-fixing, but both have completed their penalty.
In response to a question regarding Mohammad Amir, Sethi stated that the management will consider his name for the national team if he takes his retirement back and performs well.
It is worth noting that after taking office, the newly-appointed management allowed the left-arm pacer to start his practice at the National High-Performance Center in Lahore.
“It was mutual consent in Sharjeel Khan’s case. If Shahid Afridi was powerful enough as chief selector, he could have resisted my decision,” Sethi said on Sharjeel’s inclusion in the team.
The Shahid Afridi-led Selection Committee had included the left-handed opening in the list of probable players for the ODI series against New Zealand but he was not considered for the squad.
Later, referring to the spot-fixing scandal, Afridi stated that Sharjeel performed admirably in domestic, but Sethi’s approval will be the deciding factor in his inclusion.
