Should Sharjeel Khan have been selected again to play for Pakistan?

[MenInG]

So we have another instance of someone who was proven to be a match/spot-fixer been allowed to represent Pakistan.

Seems that the initial outrage when such issues are discovered is quickly forgotten a few years later but should it be the case?

 

[Rana]

Why not?

If Amir can return

If Marlon Samuels can play

If Shane Warne can get away with it

If Wasim Akram can live the life of a champion

If Steven Smith and David Warner are still dominating the game








Then I don’t see why Sharjeel Khan should be treated any less.

 

[JaDed]

Why not?

If Amir can return

If Marlon Samuels can play

If Shane Warne can get away with it

If Wasim Akram can live the life of a champion

If Steven Smith and David Warner are still dominating the game








Then I don’t see why Sharjeel Khan should be treated any less.

Good try to put Smith, Warner in the same category but nope.

 

[JaDed]

If he has served his punishment then yes why not?

 

[Rana]

Good try to put Smith, Warner in the same category but nope.

Match fixing/spot fixing= Deceit

Breaking the rules in order to win= Deceit

 

[Hasan123]

No he should not. After Amir returned we should have set a precedent that if you fix you won't play for Pakistan again. Amir and Sharjeel returns have shown you can fix and still play for Pakistan again. Just sets a bad example to the younger generation for me.

 

[Rana]

No he should not. After Amir returned we should have set a precedent that if you fix you won't play for Pakistan again. Amir and Sharjeel returns have shown you can fix and still play for Pakistan again. Just sets a bad example to the younger generation for me.

Don’t be a hypocrite then when you cheer for Smith and Warner in the IPL. They are blatant cheaters, liars and have tarnished the credibility of this game.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Match fixing/spot fixing= Deceit

Breaking the rules in order to win= Deceit

Comparing ball-tampering to match-fixing is like comparing shoplifting to arson.

 

[Titan24]

My stance has always been the same regarding such players. Either give them life bans making them ineligible for any form of professional cricket or treat them like any other cricketer after they have completed whatever ban they were given.

I personally dont agree with unsaid and unwritten rules of not selecting someone even after he as completed his ban. Yes if the everyone in PCB is on the same page that such players should never be allowed to come back in cricket than make it a rule and part of constitution accordingly.

Allowing someone to play domestic cricket, premier T20 tournament and then not selecting that person after he performs would be a pointless exercise. As if someone is never going to be considered for Pakistan he shouldnt be allowed to play domestic cricket as well so that a youngster or players who are eligible for national selection can be given those opportunities.

Sharjeel was given a ban, he completed that and rehab as per protocols so he should be considered just like any other player. If that is not a treatment which he or any other player doing the same thing should be allowed to get then as said, give them life bans so that such players can also pursue something else in their lives while other players and youngsters can play domestic cricket in the hope to represent Pakistan.

 

[Hasan123]

Don’t be a hypocrite then when you cheer for Smith and Warner in the IPL. They are blatant cheaters, liars and have tarnished the credibility of this game.

I don’t support Rajhstan or Sunrisers in the IPL. Why do you always bring up me watching the IPL LOL? Do I need your permission to watch cricket now?

What they did was wrong but they didn’t sell their country out for a few dollars. Fixing is the lowest of the low, I have always maintained that. You are only defending these fixers because they play for Pakistan. If they played for any other country you would call them every name under the sun.

 

[Savak]

Mohd Wasim did say that we had been prioritizing fitness over skills in the recent past. He is gambling that having Sharjeel in the national team will rub off automatically in a positive way on his fitness

 

[Mamoon]

Match fixing/spot fixing= Deceit

Breaking the rules in order to win= Deceit

Ball-tampering is an attempt to cheat in order to help your team win. It is immoral and illegal but it is not an act of betraying your team and the fans. There is no personal or financial incentive involved.

Match fixing/spot fixing directly sabotages the chances of your team winning the match because of your greed. That is why it will always be a far bigger crime than tampering and not comparable at any level.

 

[Abdurmirr]

Honestly the fact that fans of PCT wanted Sharjeel back just shows how poor our standards are. Imagine a team like Australia or India reselecting an unfit, overweight 31 year old match fixer on the basis that he scored a fluke 100 off 60 balls (with him being 11 off 19 during the powerplay). We already have two openers that are good enough in the form of Babar and Rizwan and unlike Mr match fixer they have shown to be honourable individuals who can actually take care of themselves. Frankly I would rather have Fakhar or even Masood open rather than this crook.

 

[rhony]

Yes. He should be back as he served his time. One thing we all forget is people like him have no other skills.

To have the ability to play for one's country means he has worked on his game day and night for 15 to 20 years. After all that they have a shelf life of 10 years.

If someone makes a mistake, let them do their time. If they still have the ability, let them play after they serve that time.

The purpose of punishment is rehabilitation. The only way to do that is to let him do what he knows best.

 

[iniqbal223]

After completing his punishment Sharjeel deserves a chance if he performs and team needs him.. NO question about it

As far as life bans and discriminatory treatment to some , there is only one simple reasoning

Amir was back in the side, because we did not have any decent fast bowler during 2013-2015 (except flashy Junaid Khan, and fading Umar Gul) Again, thanks to Misbah and Waqar combo, who did not develop any decent fast bower during their tenure

It was so desperate situation in fast bowling that even PCB chairmans (Najam Sethi and Shaharyar Khan) had to start conversation of Amir's inclusion in the team.. He paid off all the debt by winning us CT 2017..
Who ever, is saying we had other great bowlers and batsmen during shambolic 2011-2015, just go back and watch every match / scorecards and see what we had done

2011- 2015 period belongs to
Mediocrity, Selfish attitude by some senior players, over reliance and hyping of failed youngsters such as Ummar Akmal (Had he was given right treatment he would have become very good payer ; but we kept playing UA , and Ahmed Shehzad despite their failures)

And only good thing happened :
Younis Khan and Saed Ajmal in Tests
(these 2 themselves won many games for Pakistan in UAE)

Hafeez & Afridi in ODI and T20

Junaid Khan in some ODIs

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Ball-tampering is an attempt to cheat in order to help your team win. It is immoral and illegal but it is not an act of betraying your team and the fans. There is no personal or financial incentive involved.

Match fixing/spot fixing directly sabotages the chances of your team winning the match because of your greed. That is why it will always be a far bigger crime than tampering and not comparable at any level.

Cheating is cheating. Hitler also tried to make his team win.

We all went after Afridi for biting the ball and pirouetting on the pitch, or Latif for picking the ball up after it bounced. All in an effort to make their team win. It was rank ugly and ban worthy.

 

[shamaan]

I think if he has served his punished he should be allowed to make a come back.but he stil needs to work on his fitness

 

[Suleiman]

It’s fine but it shows how barren the cupboard is for quality openers in Pakistan that a guy who is overweight and unfit is still out striking every 20 something year old opener in the domestic circuit.

Just like we couldn’t replace Amir...

This is the last country that can actually take the moral high ground because of a lack of options Lolol.

 

[Sunzi]

Technically, if he serves time for the crime then yeah...

But if a leg-side hack like Sharjeel is where we are at, I'd be very disappointed.

 

[ChTab]

Why not?

If Steven Smith and David Warner are still dominating the game

Then I don’t see why Sharjeel Khan should be treated any less.

Didn't expect this from someone like you, ball tampering & fixing are not the same.

 

[Mamoon]

Cheating is cheating. Hitler also tried to make his team win.

We all went after Afridi for biting the ball and pirouetting on the pitch, or Latif for picking the ball up after it bounced. All in an effort to make their team win. It was rank ugly and ban worthy.

Cheating is cheating but there are different levels of cheating and the intentions also matter. In the real world, no crimes are equal and neither are they equal in cricket.

Afridi was biting the ball not to make money but make the ball talk and help his team defend the total.

Same goes for Latif picking the ball.

However, none of them were bigger crimes than fixing matches.

Tampering/cheating to help your team win will never be a bigger crime than match-fixing/spot-fixing because the latter is an outcome of the player sabotaging the chances of your team winning the match for financial incentives.

It the worst crime and form of cheating that you can do in cricket.

 

[ChTab]

So we have another instance of someone who was proven to be a match/spot-fixer been allowed to represent Pakistan.

Seems that the initial outrage when such issues are discovered is quickly forgotten a few years later but should it be the case?

No, he should never play for Pakistan again. He can play in domestic cricket but letting another fixer to represent your country again will not help because in future the players might think that even if they are caught they will only have to face a ban of 2 years & then they can play international cricket again. If we didn't allow Amir back in 2016 this whole drama with Sharjeel might not have happened.

 

[Mamoon]

Lifetime ban is the only relatively effective deterrence against match/spot-fixing. Pakistan should not complain and act surprised when it continues to produce fixers in the future.

 

[Usman Chadda]

We don’t have anyone with his skillset, besides an in-form Fakhar. It was only a matter of time.

We are desperate, and so moral values will take a backseat naturally.

 

[Mesozoic]

Nothing wrong with it but Pak fans shouldn't be too shocked or disappointed when a promising young player in the future resorts to these ways for some quick bucks....

PCB have made it pretty easier and relatively more risk free for the likes of Hyder Ali and Abdul Shafiq or whatever to indulge in shady stuff as they know they'll be welcomed back with open arms if they play a couple of flashy innings when they're 25 and still have a good long career....

 

[Mesozoic]

We don’t have anyone with his skillset, besides an in-form Fakhar. It was only a matter of time.

We are desperate, and so moral values will take a backseat naturally.

This. Nothing wrong with being blunt and straight forward instead of taking a moral high ground.

Can only laugh at people who are equating ball tampering to match fixing..

 

[Saj]

Punishment was set, he served his time.

Deserves another chance, as others have had.

 

[Varun]

Should have been quietly discarded despite what the verdict in the courts was.

The next generation of fixers will only stop occurring if they see the Amirs and Sharjeels never on the field again. Which unfortunately is never the case in Pakistan cricket.

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

Well a precedence was set with Amir, so why not.
Ideally I would like people who have fixed even once to be rehabilitated, but clearly told they will never play International Cricket again.

 

[pratiktc]

Put aside morality debate for a moment.

Why is an unfit hack like Sharjeel even near national team? Do they really think this is best chance of winning matches??

Complete disgrace

 

[moghul]

I hate his fitness level, but ------,

He is not a bad choice for a short term, till T20 WC, fare enough, we don;t have too many power hitters . He is too bulky , will be a liability in the filed.

I have no issue on his return after he completed his punishment, you can;t punish someone twice for the same crime.

 

[msb314]

Punishment was set, he served his time.

Deserves another chance, as others have had.

That is the problem.

Future fixers will also think they “deserve a chance” and cling on to hopes to play for the national team after they have fixed..

 

[shamaan]

That is the problem.

Future fixers will also think they “deserve a chance” and cling on to hopes to play for the national team after they have fixed..

Them hopes may never come thou

 

[Indiafan]

Match fixing/spot fixing= Deceit

Breaking the rules in order to win= Deceit

But trying to get your country to win is completely opposite of being a traitor to your country or club. Nice try though.

 

[Indiafan]

Don’t be a hypocrite then when you cheer for Smith and Warner in the IPL. They are blatant cheaters, liars and have tarnished the credibility of this game.

People doing anything to make their own country win is not the same as someone selling out his own country and club. The former are patriots. The later traitors.

But nice pretence

 

[Indiafan]

Punishment was set, he served his time.

Deserves another chance, as others have had.

In no other profession are people doing such things allowed back into the profession.

What people don't understand is that playing for Pakistan (or any country) is a privelage and not a right. Don't compare it to someone earning their wages. Compare it to a provelaged position like being appointed ambassador of the country or high Court Judge. Out if all candidates surely you will choose best but also someone who has no controversy?

A country team is the best of the best, cream of the country.


Its the best XI to represent your country. If out of millions of Pakistanis you only have fixers to select in youi XI, its not a good reflection on what your country is.

Also this should put pay to all the talks about Pakistan having great talent, if you had great talent you won't need to keep pardoning and bringing back fixers. Surely with all the talent you can get some great batsmen or bowlers who didn't fix

 

[Rana]

People doing anything to make their own country win is not the same as someone selling out his own country and club. The former are patriots. The later traitors.

But nice pretence

Just out of curiosity, why do Indians defend Smith and Warner the most on this forum?

 

[MHN1293]

As many posters have stated already, in an ideal world neither sharjeel or amir would have been selected however due to only an out of form fakhar waiting in the wings pcb decided to go with the necessity of the team rather than morality which might damage them in the future when another youngster follows the same path. Personally i dont see sharjeel doing much on pacy african pitches.

 

[MenInG]

Sharjeel Khan was allowed to play in PSL so that automatically opened doors for the national side. No point crying about that now.

 

[Gotham Cronie]

Why not?

If Amir can return

Well a precedence was set with Amir, so why not.

And the next fixer will say Sharjeel was let back, why not me. And the next after him, and the next after him.

 

[Greenstorm]

He should have been brought back earlier against NZ. Sharjeel is the most dangerous T20 batsman we have and his role will be crucial if we are to have any chance in next two T20 World cups.

 

[Firebat]

And the next fixer will say Sharjeel was let back, why not me. And the next after him, and the next after him.

Exactly this. When do you stop? At some point you have to draw the line, or we will never rid ourselves of the match fixing plague

 

[iniqbal223]

So people here are saying, if you make some serious mistakes in your job (whether as a lawyer, banker, etc.) You are not allowed to continue your punishment after you serve it.. wow brilliant

This is coming after knowing the fact that our entire systems, institutions are corrupt from neck to bottom, and we become very bad for those who got caught.. What about those who were caught, did not serve any punishments and still keep coming back in the system... Example Mr. Waqar

 

[hitthestump]

Exactly this. When do you stop? At some point you have to draw the line, or we will never rid ourselves of the match fixing plague

Maybe banning isn't the simple answer here. America has some of the toughest sentences in the world. How is that working out for them?

 

[MenInG]

Babar Azam presser today:

On why Sharjeel selected despite fitness issues:

"I have played alongside Sharjeel Khan the fact is that he cannot become Shadab Khan (in terms of fitness) instantaneously, can he?"

"I agree his fitness is not what we expect it to be but we will help him improve that; The fact is that he is in good form now and that can help us; He is one of our best players and I have seen that myself as I have played alongside him with Karachi Kings and I know that he can totally change the game when he plays well"

"We are working on his fitness and he will show improvements soon"

"I have asked him only for T20s and not for ODIs as T20 is a short format where we can adjust for this (fitness) but I will repeat that he has to work on his fitness"

"I believe you are all worried about Sharjeel's fitness, but he has played 4-days and ODs in domestic cricket"

"In my view there isn't that much of an issue of fitness for Sharjeel - yes, he is a little 'healthy' and we are working on his fitness but I will repeat again that he is a match-winner; We will work on his fitness and there is no issue with his fielding as he is very good in that; He is now part of the squad and the more we back him, the better it will be for us"

 

[AAli98]

If your looking for a honest pak xi your gonna struggle, maybe Umar Gul Rahat Ali (even they may have tampered with the ball) let’s not go down that road!!

 

[GudduBadmash]

Examples should have been set a long time ago with star players like Wasim Akram, they were not, okay fair enough then a new generation did it, with Amir, Butt and Asif. Served their time but the PCB should have acted harshly and banned them for the joke they made of them on tour. They still didn't do it and Amir was allowed back into the team, Salman Butt is a commentator. It happened again, Sharjeel has served his ban and after literally four good games in the PSL he is back in the national team while someone that broke records in domestic 4 day cricket got sacked after tour where he didn't even play.

It sets the example to cricketers in Pakistan that it's okay to fix a little bit, make some extra money, live a life of luxury, at best you will only lose 5 years of your career and we will bring you back into the team anyway. It also tells honest and deserving cricketers that there is no real place for them.

There will be more Sharjeels and Amir's in the future unless people are made examples of.

Australia didn't even have to ban Smith and Warner for simply ball tampering which is minor in comparison to our money hungry cricketers and they did it anyway regardless of their star status.

 

[shamaan]

Babar Azam presser today:

On why Sharjeel selected despite fitness issues:

"I have played alongside Sharjeel Khan the fact is that he cannot become Shadab Khan (in terms of fitness) instantaneously, can he?"

"I agree his fitness is not what we expect it to be but we will help him improve that; The fact is that he is in good form now and that can help us; He is one of our best players and I have seen that myself as I have played alongside him with Karachi Kings and I know that he can totally change the game when he plays well"

"We are working on his fitness and he will show improvements soon"

"I have asked him only for T20s and not for ODIs as T20 is a short format where we can adjust for this (fitness) but I will repeat that he has to work on his fitness"

"I believe you are all worried about Sharjeel's fitness, but he has played 4-days and ODs in domestic cricket"

"In my view there isn't that much of an issue of fitness for Sharjeel - yes, he is a little 'healthy' and we are working on his fitness but I will repeat again that he is a match-winner; We will work on his fitness and there is no issue with his fielding as he is very good in that; He is now part of the squad and the more we back him, the better it will be for us"

Seems like he did have a say in selection (i have asked him only for t20s)

 

[shamaan]

Exactly this. When do you stop? At some point you have to draw the line, or we will never rid ourselves of the match fixing plague

Hes commited his crime and done his time why shouldnt he be allowed back in the team

 

[MenInG]

Mohammad Hafeez speaking about Sharjeel Khan to media during tour of SA:

"I dont recall making any statement regarding Sharjeel Khan; However, I have always had a principled stance which you all know about - But, I am not the one who is a policy maker and only those people need to decide on this"

"If I ever get a chance to be at the level (of decision making), then I will definitely try my level best but at the moment we are all here to represent Pakistan and I pray and hope that whoever plays for Pakistan, plays with pride and makes sure that our honour is preserved, and no such action done or word spoken which brings Pakistan's name into disrepute"