Karachi, Mar 31: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to inquire a case where a UK-based Pakistani agent, who represented 18-20 centrally contracted players, has been suspended by the England and Wales Cricket Board for breaching its anti-corruption code.
Mughiz Ahmad Shearachiikh and his company International Cricketers Association (ICA) had last year signed centrally contracted players from Pakistan.
Aamer Jamal, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Hurraira, Irfan Niazi, Naseem Shah, Nauman Ali, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Shadab Khan, Sufiyan Maqeem, Tayyab Tahir while Imam ul Haq, Mohammad Haris, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Usama Mir were being represented by his company on short term basis.
Sheikh, who is also registered as a player agent with the ECB, had his registration suspended after investigations by cricket regulators.
Following a hearing, an independent anti-corruption tribunal has found him guilty of four violations of the ECB’s anti-corruption code.
Sheikh apparently tried to bribe an English coach of a team to play his players and the coach reported his approach to the ECB.
A reliable source in the PCB said that soon after the case came to light, the players were advised to reconsider their association with Sheikh and his company and some have already disassociated with him.
The PCB is also looking into tightening its requirements and approval procedure for allowing agents and their companies to represent Pakistani players.
“Cricket has changed and with so many T20 and T10 leagues and endorsement opportunities available all players have their agents to look after their best business interests. The PCB will now change and tighten its procedure before approving registration of any agent,” the source said.
Back in 2010, a UK based Pakistani agent, Mazhar Majeed became the centre of the spot-fixing scandal involving former captain Salman Butt and pacers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir when Pakistan was touring England.
Later, when the scandal broke out it was revealed that Majeeed, who served jail time also, had close ties with other senior Pakistani players and got them contracts in the UK.
Senior players including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi are represented by another company, Saya Corporation whose ties with former captain Inzamam ul Haq led to his resignation as chief selector in 2023. (PTI)
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