Two of the Pakistani cricketers, Saleem Malik and Danish Kaneria, that were imposed bans on them after the match-fixing scandals, have been approached by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after they demanded the removal of the ban a several times.
Saleem Malik and Danish Kaneria get a response by PCB on match-fixing ban removal
Responding to Kaneria, the board reminded him that the ban was imposed by high bodies of ECB and PCB’s rehabilitation programs cannot be offered to him as he is serving a life ban. PCB also advised him to get in touch with ECB.
Danish Kaneria (rehabilitation program)
• You were banned for life by the ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission after it was established that you had ‘knowingly induced or encouraged Mervyn Westfield not to perform on his merits in the Durham match’
• You subsequently challenged the decision before the Appeal Panel of the Cricket Disciplinary Commission, which was upheld. Then, you appealed before a commercial bench of the High Court in London, which was dismissed. Then, you appealed before the Court of Appeal (Civil Division), which was rejected
• The PCB’s rehabilitation program is offered to players upon conclusion of the respective periods of ineligibility and not for players who are serving life bans
• The life ban was imposed by the ECB and upheld by all ICC Members as per Article 9 of the ICC/PCB Anti-Corruption Code, and the only way it could have been overturned was by way of appeal, an avenue which has already been explored
• Article 6.8 of the ECB Anti-Corruption Code, which is applicable in this case, clearly states only the chair of the anti-corruption tribunal, which has imposed a period of ineligibility on a player, had the discretion to permit the player to participate
• As such, you are advised to approach the ECB as per Article 6.8 of the ECB Anti-Corruption Code
While answering Saleem, PCB clarified that the action can only be taken if he responds to the older queries why he was the part of match-fixing assets. Although Saleem wrote a letter to PCB accepting his wrongdoings still, the issue hasn’t been briefly described.
Saleem Malik (failure to respond to transcripts provided by ICC of April 2000 conversation)
• You chose not to respond to the contents of the transcripts of a conversation that took place in April 2000
• In the backdrop of the above, the PCB will be unable to proceed any further until such time you respond on the said matter
• The denial and avoidance to respond to the transcripts don’t change the admission when, in a 5 May 2014 letter to the then PCB Chairman, you wrote:
• Sir, after consultations and on my free will, I have reached a decision that I am ready to accept my wrongdoing, apologize to the fans, and want to start the rehabilitation process. I fully understand the consequence of my decision and am ready to cooperate to every extent with ICC and PCB for my rehabilitation program. I would request PCB to talk to ICC if required and start my rehabilitation program at the earliest.”
