Shoaib Malik

An Inquiry Committee comprising Mr Haroon Rashid, Mr Shafiq Ahmed (Papa) and Mr Asghar Haider was appointed to examine the incident in which Shoaib Malik, - Captain of the Sialkot Stallions team - appeared to have deliberately "thrown" the match against Karachi Zebras on 28th April during the ABN-AMRO 20/20 Championship. Shoaib Malik gave evidence before the Committee and admitted that he had decided to lose the match from a winning position. The Inquiry Committee took serious note of Shoaib Malik's action which had damaged Pakistan's cricketing image and had shown disrespect to the large crowd by manipulating the result of the match. The Committee took into account that Shoaib Malik had publicly apologized for his action and that he had an unblemished record of conduct during his career. The Committee also recognised that Shoaib's action was not part of any match-fixing with no financial implications but an immature and misplaced attempt to express his discontent.

Taking all factors into consideration, the Inquiry Committee made its recommendations to the PCB Chairman and to the PCB's ad-hoc committee which met on May 2nd at Gaddafi Stadium. The Committee confirmed the Inquiry Committee's conclusions and invoked the following penalties:

(i) Ban for participating in the next Test Match (Barbados - West Indies).

(ii) 75% fine of match fees for the first two ODI's in West Indies.

(iii) A severe reprimand to Shoaib Malik and the Sialkot regional team, managment and coach for their responsibility in manipulting the result of the match.

PCB is also instituting an inquiry into other matches of the 20/20 Championship.

Abbas Zaidi
Director (Board Operations)

(Article: Copyright © 2005 Pakistan Cricket Board)