Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board has banned international spinner Asif Afridi for a period of two years from all cricket after he pleaded guilty as charged for two violations under the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code for Participants. For the breach of Article 2.4.10, Mr. Afridi was handed a two-year period of ineligibility, while he was given a six-month ban for the violation of Article 2.4.4. Both the periods of ineligibility will run concurrently and will commence from the day of his provisional suspension, which commenced on 12 September 2022.

Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code reads as: “Failing to disclose to the PCB Security and Anti-Corruption 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.”

Article 2.4.10 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code reads as: “Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach any of the foregoing provisions of this Article 2.4.”

While reaching its determination on the sanction period, the PCB took into consideration the admission of guilt, expression of remorse, past track record and Asif Afridi’s request that the PCB considers his case compassionately, claiming he had unintentionally breached the Code.

Chair of PCB Management Committee, Mr Najam Sethi: “It gives the PCB no joy to suspend an international cricketer for two years, but we have a zero-tolerance approach towards such offences. As the game’s governing body, we need to make examples, handle such matters robustly and send out strong messages to all cricketers.

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 08 2023

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