Pakistani cricketer suspended on corruption charges

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that it had placed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s left-arm spinner Asif Afridi under provisional suspension as of September 12 (Monday).

The bowler has been suspended under Article 4.7.1 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, the board said in the statement released Tuesday.

The suspension means Afridi cannot take part in any cricket-related activity, pending the conclusion of the investigation being carried out by PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit.

The PCB said that Afridi has today been issued a notice of charge for two breaches under Article 2.4 of the Code and has 14 days to respond to the charges.

"As this is an ongoing investigation, the PCB will not make any further comment pending the outcome of this case," the board added.

What is the article under which he was suspended?

Article 4.7.1 reads as: "Where either (a) the PCB decides to charge a Participant with an offence under this Anti-Corruption Code; or (b) the PCB considers that there are other exceptional circumstances relevant to a Participant (for example, where any relevant police authority has arrested and/or charged a Participant with an offence under any relevant criminal law in respect of facts or circumstances that may also constitute an offence under this Anti-Corruption Code), it, shall have the discretion, in circumstances where it considers that the integrity of the sport could otherwise be seriously undermined, to Provisionally Suspend the Participant pending the Anti-Corruption Tribunal's determination of whether he/she has committed an offence."

"Any decision to Provisionally Suspend the Participant will be communicated to the Participant in writing, with a copy sent at the same time to the ICC and, where applicable, the National Cricket Federation to which the Participant is affiliated."