Pakistan cricket got yet another blot on Tuesday after it was announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that lanky pacer Mohammad Irfan has been provisionally suspended for violating the cricket body's anti-corruption code.
He is now temporarily barred from participating in all forms of cricket.
It all started at the Pakistan Super League 2017 which saw three Pak cricketers Sharjeel Khan, Khalid Latif and Shahzaib Hasan facing the heat for getting involved in an alleged spot-fixing scandal.
Now, PCB have revealed that Irfan, 34, who stands in at 7'1', is also a part of the mess. According to reports, on Monday, the left arm fast bowler appeared before the PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) and revealed that he was approached by bookies during PSL 2017. However, he did not inform it then.
"Irfan has been charged with two violations of Code Article 2.4.4 and now has 14 days to respond to the Notice of Charge," a PCB spokesman has said.
Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code.
- PCB's anti-corruption code 2.4.4
This is not the first time that something like this has happened in Pakistan cricket. Over the years, several well-known former players have gotten involved in match-fixing scandals, that have ultimately tarnished the game in the country.
Here's a list of Pakistani cricketers involved in corruption:
| Player | Suspended in | Suspended for | Length of suspension | Nature of suspension |
| Salman Butt | August 2010 | Spot-fixing | Banned from playing cricket for 10 years. Suspended sentence: 5 years. Ban lifted by ICC in September 2015. | Part of the infamous Pakistan spot-fixing scandal 2010, he was found guilty of corruption during the fourth test between England and Pakistan at the Lord's. Sentencing: In November 2011 he was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison by Southwark Crown Court, England, for conspiracy charges, along with Amir and Asif. |
| Mohammad Amir | August 2010 | Spot-fixing | Banned from playing cricket for 5 years. He returned to cricket in January 2015, months before his ban was lifted by ICC in September 2015. | Part of the infamous Pakistan spot-fixing scandal 2010, Amir was guilty of deliberately bowling a plethora of no-balls against England in August 2010. Sentencing: In November 2011 he was sentenced to 6 months in prison by Southwark Crown Court, England, for conspiracy charges, along with Butt and Asif. |
| Mohammad Asif | August 2010 | Spot-fixing | Banned from playing cricket for 7 years. Suspended sentence: 2 years. Ban lifted by ICC in September 2015. | Part of the infamous Pakistan spot-fixing scandal 2010, Asif was guilty of deliberately bowling a plethora of no-balls against England in August 2010. Sentencing: In November 2011 he was sentenced to 1 year in prison by Southwark Crown Court, England, for conspiracy charges, along with Amir and Butt. |
| Danish Kaneria | 2010 | Spot-fixing scandal | Life ban | Lifetime ban by the England and Wales Cricket Board |
| Saleem Malik | 2000 | Bribery accusations | Life ban (overturned in 2008 by a local court in Lahore) | According to ESPN Cricinfo, Aussie legends Shane Warne and Mark Waugh had claimed that Malik had tried to bribe them to lose the Karachi Test of 1994-95. He was given a lifetime ban from cricket in 2000. |
