Should a life ban be handed to Sharjeel Khan if he is found guilty?

[Dr_Bassim]

I'll be honest and blunt.

I clearly felt Amir should not have been picked after 5 year ban. Re-integration into society is important but it is not essential that a cricketer remain a cricketer for that to happen.

The margins visibly blurred for Amir because he was talented.

Now judging from Sethi's comments Sharjeel seems to be in hot water.

If the verdict is guilty of spot fixing, should Sharjeel be given similar punishment of 5 years with re-integration into society?

Considering the fact

1. Sharjeel got caught in a domestic league sanctioned by ICC unlike Amir who got caught in an international match.

2. Would a life ban be too harsh on an ICC sanctioned domestic league?

3. Would it deprive Pakistan of another talent just like Amir ? If talented players are to be saved, surely Sharjeel checks all boxes?

4. Will such a harsh punishment stop future fringe players from indulging in similar practices for a quick payday? Especially if they know the chances of representing Pakistan are negligible? Why must those that have a chance to represent Pakistan be punished harder?


These questions must come into mind for all the people who supported the re-integration of Amir into society and somehow into cricket.

Will the same people now change their minds and throw their whole anger on
Sharjeel?

Why not give him equal opportunity considering his crime was in a domestic tournament and he probably won't do it again?


My opinion stands the same as it did on day 1.

Amir did not deserve to play for Pakistan team.

Sharjeel if found guilty does not deserve to play for Pakistan team.

But what do some diehard Amir supporters think?

Should Sharjeel be given a path to redemption for the sake of Pakistan team?

 

[arehaan]

Sharjeel and Nasir Jamshed both will be made examples by giving the max. punishment. Khalid Lateef might get 2 - 5 years which in itself will be end of his career.

 

[RehanG]

No no life ban its just an 'domestic league' and 'spot fixing' not match fixing. a 2 year ban and heavy fine will do.

 

[ads101]

We should but there's a problem. I don't believe PCB has agreed to having a no tolerance policy and having life bans for anyone in fixing. They stuck to the five years with the trio.

Secondly, Sharjeel hasn't done as much wrong as the trio. He fixed only in domestic, not international. And he hasn't denied it like the trio did (all of them including Amir denied it initially). Not only that, if Sharjeel is willing to work with the authorities, he could potentially reveal/expose more to fighting corruption than the trio who gave up nothing (though there might have been nothing to give up).

If Sharjeel is to get a life ban, it isn't fair in comparison to the trio. One was even captain, in a position of responsibility.

In my opinion we should have banned all the trio for life from all cricket, except Amir who is given 5 year ban from domestic, life ban from international. That's more than Amir deserves tbh. Then announced life bans to anyone else caught after that point. If we had done that, hard to argue against life bans against sharjeel and others.

 

[shaz619]

Not everything is black and white in life, which is why there's a process; a trial, a jury, a judge and finally the executioner if necessary. All are one cohesive unit which determine the level of guilt and adequate punishment, we don't live in a world where theft brings the same punishment as murder.

 

[Hamza_]

Whatever law and authorities decide will be a suitable punishment.

 

[Zak_Fan]

Life ban on Sharjeel will look silly when you have Amir in the team and Asif/Butt eyeing a comeback.

 

[Madplayer]

Lile i said in another thread, there has to be a start somewhere. Ban him for life to set a precedent.

If you keep asking why now? why not when amir was found guilty? , you would be stuck at one place and things wont move forward.

Sharjeel is talented too. Perhaps he is more needed than amir was in 2010 because of Pakistan's problems with batting. But his talent shouldn't save him. There has to be a time when you have to say enough is enough. This is that time.

 

[Madplayer]

Life ban on Sharjeel will look silly when you have Amir in the team and Asif/Butt eyeing a comeback.

Drunk drivers in India will soon be slapped with Rs. 10k fine. Will surely look silly when previous offenders were let off with petty fines.

 

[Zak_Fan]

Drunk drivers in India will soon be slapped with Rs. 10k fine. Will surely look silly when previous offenders were let off with petty fines.

I understand your point, but SHarjeel's and the trio's offense isn't comparable. International fixing is a whole new level.

 

[Hasan Cheema]

Even with or without life ban I don't see Sharjeel, Latif and Nasir representing Pakistan national side again.

 

[JaDed]

Drunk drivers in India will soon be slapped with Rs. 10k fine. Will surely look silly when previous offenders were let off with petty fines.

Yes but that law is being setup,If PCB already has an existing law then that should be applied,they cannot just bring about a new law to punish recent offenders.

For any future offence they could/should lay down the rules.

 

[ask_analyse_act]

Depends on the level of crime.. The investigation should go dig in deep and see how many matches... These two have opened in all the T20 matches quite recently... Amir already integrated back into the side, nothing to do now. And I hope he is the last one who got back into the team, very lucky on him being back... If those trio punishment doesnt make a sound warning then the level of punishment should be increased and alarming...

 

[Madplayer]

Yes but that law is being setup,If PCB already has an existing law then that should be applied,they cannot just bring about a new law to punish recent offenders.

For any future offence they could/should lay down the rules.

Well apparently PCB can do whatever they want. They allowed amir to come back but arent picking asif and butt (in other words a life ban from intl. cricket for them) so there is inconsistency. Sharjeel will probably be given a life ban at least from intl. cricket if they follow asif/butt example.

 

[Hitman]

Corruption in cricket = Life ban from all forms of cricket.

 

[JaDed]

Well apparently PCB can do whatever they want. They allowed amir to come back but arent picking asif and butt (in other words a life ban from intl. cricket for them) so there is inconsistency. Sharjeel will probably be given a life ban at least from intl. cricket if they follow asif/butt example.

Inconsistency is an issue,they need to make laws and follow them ,cannot be based on players.

 

[Sports_Psychologist]

I'll be honest and blunt.

I clearly felt Amir should not have been picked after 5 year ban. Re-integration into society is important but it is not essential that a cricketer remain a cricketer for that to happen.

The margins visibly blurred for Amir because he was talented.

Now judging from Sethi's comments Sharjeel seems to be in hot water.

If the verdict is guilty of spot fixing, should Sharjeel be given similar punishment of 5 years with re-integration into society?

Considering the fact

1. Sharjeel got caught in a domestic league sanctioned by ICC unlike Amir who got caught in an international match.

2. Would a life ban be too harsh on an ICC sanctioned domestic league?

3. Would it deprive Pakistan of another talent just like Amir ? If talented players are to be saved, surely Sharjeel checks all boxes?

4. Will such a harsh punishment stop future fringe players from indulging in similar practices for a quick payday? Especially if they know the chances of representing Pakistan are negligible? Why must those that have a chance to represent Pakistan be punished harder?


These questions must come into mind for all the people who supported the re-integration of Amir into society and somehow into cricket.

Will the same people now change their minds and throw their whole anger on
Sharjeel?

Why not give him equal opportunity considering his crime was in a domestic tournament and he probably won't do it again?


My opinion stands the same as it did on day 1.

Amir did not deserve to play for Pakistan team.

Sharjeel if found guilty does not deserve to play for Pakistan team.

But what do some diehard Amir supporters think?

Should Sharjeel be given a path to redemption for the sake of Pakistan team?

Equality!! 5 Years ban to all of them..

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

this is what should be done

1. declare general amnesty for everyone past, and present involved in any sort of fixing activity while giving everyone a clean sheet.

2. have a period of one month where everyone in pakistani cricket circles can submit all evidence against betting rings, how they got drawn towards it, and all other pressures including blackmail. this exercise needs to be done at all levels including all age groups, all associations everyone.

3. make everyone submit their assets through illegal betting and charge a ten percent on it and set up an ex-player pension fund with that.

4. hire more people in the anti corruption unit and make that unit more proactive. instead of sitting and relaxing, they should have caught sharjeel before the fix had happened. would have saved everyone a lot of headache

5. fine sharjeel but let him play cricket after psl (not saying because he is talented or what not).

once all of that is done, make a legislation during this period where any sort of fixing is an automatic life ban. any contact with known bookies of any sort without reporting is a crime. since sethi is such a political figure and his favorite party is in power as well, move towards passing a resolution of making fixing illegal in cricket by law (idk how it will work and all that but whatever)

i understand dr. sb your stance and i appreciate how you have always maintained it even when harsh criticism was on you. however i still feel that whatever that was necessary was not done by pcb even after 2010 and we still have time to fix the whole system.

 

[zn426]

In fairness, this administration was not in place when the trio got banned from international cricket. Sure, some of the key people were here, but not the big ones.

And PSL is not simply domestic cricket. Domestic cricket is the National T20. PSL is in that second tier below true international cricket, seeing as there is a significant international component to the game (four international players, etc.) that is not present in domestic cricket.

There were many fence sitters when the decision was made to bring Amir back. Now the PCB under Sethi has gotten a taste of what happened in 2010. Now they know the result of their actions.

I was in favor of bringing Amir back, but seeing the door that it has opened, it is clear that I was wrong. He could have been permitted to play domestics for years without an international call-up. No other country would have played him.

Sharjeel needs to be given a life time punishment. He needs to see what it is that he destroyed. He destroyed an exciting moment in Pakistan cricket, where we could see the light at the end of the tunnel where we became competitive again in LOIs. He destroyed his international career. He destroyed his future in the PSL. He destroyed his chances of playing in other premiere T20 leagues. He destroyed his chances of learning more and becoming our Kane Williamson, our Brendan McCullum, a chance to hear his name thundering through the crowd in Sharjah and Dubai, in Karachi and Lahore, at the Oval and at the MCG.

This is solely on Sharjeel Khan. He needs to learn a lesson, and we need to make it clear that cheating is not acceptable in Pakistani cricket-and hopefully in Pakistani culture overall.
I am reminded of the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, where the Chicago White Sox fixed the World series for their own game. It was not entirely on them, because their owner was intentionally harming their chances of making money, but there were other paths to doing better as baseball players. The MLB made an example of them and has never had a fixing scandal again. That is what needs to be done with cricket in Pakistan.

"Baseball is something more than a game to an American boy; it is his training field for life's work. Destroy his faith in its squareness and honesty and you have destroyed something more; you have planted suspicion of all things in his heart." -Kennesaw Mountain Landis, who presided over the Black Sox scandal.

How long will we let international cricket players destroy the training field for young Pakistani players to improve themselves in all aspects of life?

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

Life ban to all fixers to set example to end this legacy. If little punishment and return happens always then you can never end this.

 

[Pure Evil]

Should be fast-tracked back into the side, after serving the minimum sentence. PCB should try to reduce his ban if he helps with the investigation and goes through a training course.

 

[Buffet]

Sharjeel is a talented opener and needed for Pakistan just like Amir was needed. PCB should back Sharjeel and lobby for early return if ICC gives some ban. If it's left to PCB then there is no issue. Just hand some minimum ban which will be a lot more than what PCB did with Trio.

1-2 years later Shaerjeel can come back and help Pakistan just like Amir is helping. Talented and needed players should be always backed by PCB. They can make a small mistake here and there, but all of us make mistake in our life.

 

[rhony]

Corruption in cricket = Life ban from all forms of cricket.

Yep. If you want PSL to be taken seriously, ban him for life. PCB did a magnificent job by being transparent this time. Sharjeel made a mockery of one good thing that Pakistan cricket offers- PSL

 

[ExpressPacer]

Life ban. You have to start somewhere.

 

[Abdullah]

where is junaids.
entrapment, law, due process, previous offences??
im missing you bro

 

[Jabo]

Life ban.

He was a hack anyway.

1 good series and people are acting like he was the next Bradman.

 

[ExpressPacer]

Life ban.

He was a hack anyway.

1 good series and people are acting like he was the next Bradman.

Had to be said. He wasn't exceptional. Just much better compared to the rest of our batsmen; which is why he looked so good.

 

[LordJames]

Anything less then a life BAN for all involved will be colossal damage to the reputation and prestige of Pakistan Cricket.

There is no question and no justification for any soft punishment.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

By all means hand him a life ban, but don't try to tie that with Amir's case, otherwise we need to start asking why Shane Warne wasn't banned for life, or for that matter Herschelle Gibbs. The cricket authorities have a lot more knowledge of the fixing issues now so punishments have got progressively harsher in accordance.

 

[kingusama92]

Life ban.

Or maximum punishment (whatever that is for spot fixing).

 

[dhump]

It depends upon the offence I dont understand why laws are made when decisions will be based on emotional feelings of individuals...If his crime is punishable by life ban go on do it if this is not the punishment than no sorry that would be absolutely unfair.

End of the day punishment should fit the crime and this is justice nothing else.

 

[godzilla]

this is what should be done

1. declare general amnesty for everyone past, and present involved in any sort of fixing activity while giving everyone a clean sheet.

2. have a period of one month where everyone in pakistani cricket circles can submit all evidence against betting rings, how they got drawn towards it, and all other pressures including blackmail. this exercise needs to be done at all levels including all age groups, all associations everyone.

3. make everyone submit their assets through illegal betting and charge a ten percent on it and set up an ex-player pension fund with that.

4. hire more people in the anti corruption unit and make that unit more proactive. instead of sitting and relaxing, they should have caught sharjeel before the fix had happened. would have saved everyone a lot of headache

5. fine sharjeel but let him play cricket after psl (not saying because he is talented or what not).

once all of that is done, make a legislation during this period where any sort of fixing is an automatic life ban. any contact with known bookies of any sort without reporting is a crime. since sethi is such a political figure and his favorite party is in power as well, move towards passing a resolution of making fixing illegal in cricket by law (idk how it will work and all that but whatever)

i understand dr. sb your stance and i appreciate how you have always maintained it even when harsh criticism was on you. however i still feel that whatever that was necessary was not done by pcb even after 2010 and we still have time to fix the whole system.

thats interesting.

I don't think it will be at all possible, particularly since after 2010, theres no way at all the icc will allow for an amnesty, even if theres a bigger strategy behind it, and from the reports it seems the icc acu was very much involved in this current situtation.

at the end of the day, I don't think the ban really makes all the much difference, although I've been vocal and consistent on these boards about favouring a life ban for any and all people found bringing the name of the country into disrepute. what is far more troubling, and I think the ultimate decider of whether this kind of thing will go on or not is the public and media acceptance of corruption, traitors and criminals.

it was disgusting to me that the trio were accepted so openly, were elevated almost to celebrity status and treated like victims and martyrs - both the media and the public completely ignored the crimes they committed and the immense damage they did to the country, not to mention the violation of basic codes of morality. when you are accepted with so much respect after doing something like that, how is any form of sentence a deterrent? if there were any integrity, self respect or dignity amongst the fan base and media, they would have been treated like the criminals and traitors that they are.

I understand the concept of paying your dues, and forgiving, but that doesn't mean forgetting too. if legally they were allowed to play, let them play, but don't let what they did be forgotten, if you do, this is what happens.

 

[SM1989]

The punishment needs to very harsh to scare players from ever engaging in such behaviour.

Life ban, along with a 10 year jail sentence, along with a Rs 10 million fine.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Remember it was domestic.

If you are doing a life ban then we will be a laughing stock if we keep Amir.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

thats interesting.

I don't think it will be at all possible, particularly since after 2010, theres no way at all the icc will allow for an amnesty, even if theres a bigger strategy behind it, and from the reports it seems the icc acu was very much involved in this current situtation.

at the end of the day, I don't think the ban really makes all the much difference, although I've been vocal and consistent on these boards about favouring a life ban for any and all people found bringing the name of the country into disrepute. what is far more troubling, and I think the ultimate decider of whether this kind of thing will go on or not is the public and media acceptance of corruption, traitors and criminals.

it was disgusting to me that the trio were accepted so openly, were elevated almost to celebrity status and treated like victims and martyrs - both the media and the public completely ignored the crimes they committed and the immense damage they did to the country, not to mention the violation of basic codes of morality. when you are accepted with so much respect after doing something like that, how is any form of sentence a deterrent? if there were any integrity, self respect or dignity amongst the fan base and media, they would have been treated like the criminals and traitors that they are.

I understand the concept of paying your dues, and forgiving, but that doesn't mean forgetting too. if legally they were allowed to play, let them play, but don't let what they did be forgotten, if you do, this is what happens.

whatever i said is more of some wishful thinking of my own. i almost always feel that whatever gets caught is just the tip of the iceberg and the real problem is much deep rooted.

it is very difficult for me to believe that one day nasir texted sharjeel or khalid and they just agreed to spot fix on the spot. and that no one else is doing that (i know this is a massive allegation but still). it is difficult to think that 2010 was the watershed moment and our sport is totally clean now except these two who did this and now should me made scarecrows.

it is a different approach to tackle the same problem but i think it is not the worst solution in this case.

 

[srh]

I'll be honest and blunt.

I clearly felt Amir should not have been picked after 5 year ban. Re-integration into society is important but it is not essential that a cricketer remain a cricketer for that to happen.

The margins visibly blurred for Amir because he was talented.

Now judging from Sethi's comments Sharjeel seems to be in hot water.

If the verdict is guilty of spot fixing, should Sharjeel be given similar punishment of 5 years with re-integration into society?

Considering the fact

1. Sharjeel got caught in a domestic league sanctioned by ICC unlike Amir who got caught in an international match.

2. Would a life ban be too harsh on an ICC sanctioned domestic league?

3. Would it deprive Pakistan of another talent just like Amir ? If talented players are to be saved, surely Sharjeel checks all boxes?

4. Will such a harsh punishment stop future fringe players from indulging in similar practices for a quick payday? Especially if they know the chances of representing Pakistan are negligible? Why must those that have a chance to represent Pakistan be punished harder?


These questions must come into mind for all the people who supported the re-integration of Amir into society and somehow into cricket.

Will the same people now change their minds and throw their whole anger on
Sharjeel?

Why not give him equal opportunity considering his crime was in a domestic tournament and he probably won't do it again?


My opinion stands the same as it did on day 1.

Amir did not deserve to play for Pakistan team.

Sharjeel if found guilty does not deserve to play for Pakistan team.

But what do some diehard Amir supporters think?

Should Sharjeel be given a path to redemption for the sake of Pakistan team?

I am ok with life ban on Sharjeel only if Amir also get life ban.

As you rightly mentioned Amir's crime >>> Sharjeel's crime.

 

[SM1989]

Sharjeel's crime is more heinous, because he didn't learn a lesson from the the case of the trio. Therefore he deserves harsher punishment.

 

[MenInG]

How about; hate the sin and not the sinner?

 

[TahirFan]

PCB should educate their cricketers on the severity of match fixing.

I say pardon Sharjeel and move forward

 

[hailian]

PCB should educate their cricketers on the severity of match fixing.

I say pardon Sharjeel and move forward

Just two hours before PCB ACU educated him and all others to stay away from bookies and guess what he did only 2 hours after? its not all about education only, greed has no limits!

 

[GrandMaster]

No no life ban its just an 'domestic league' and 'spot fixing' not match fixing. a 2 year ban and heavy fine will do.

This will encourage others to repeat the same, a huge amount of money for doing nothing and get away with a 2-year ban is not a bad deal, especially for youngsters.

This will hamper the PSL in whole.