Jamshed provisionally suspended by PCB

Nasir Jamshed, the out-of-favour Pakistan opener, has become the third player to be provisionally suspended by the PCB as it continues its investigation into the corruption scandal that hit the Pakistan Super League this weekend.

"PCB has provisionally suspended Nasir Jamshed from all forms of cricket for violating its anti-corruption code," said a statement issued by the board on Monday.

Unlike Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif - the two Islamabad United players who have already been sent back from the league for alleged breaches of the anti-corruption code - Jamshed was not part of any PSL franchise.

Jamshed's name had cropped up initially in speculation surrounding the news of Latif and Sharjeel's suspensions. But the exact nature of his involvement has not been made clear.

The PCB named three other players who were questioned in the fallout: Islamabad United's Mohammad Irfan, Quetta Gladiators' Zulfiqar Babar and Shahzaib Hasan of the Karachi Kings. None of them, however, faced the prospect of immediate provisional suspension. Shahzaib's questioning, according to his team Karachi Kings, was the result of his reporting an approach to the PCB and Quetta are understood to have volunteered Babar for questioning to clear his name as it had also emerged during speculation.

Sharjeel, Latif and Jamshed will now be sent a show cause notice by the PCB according to board chairman Shaharyar Khan.

"There is a legal way to move forward and first show cause notices are being sent to both players (Sharjeel and Latif) and they are likely to receive it tomorrow," Khan said in Lahore, before the news about Jamshed emerged.

"Two players Shahzaib and Zulfiqar were under the scanner but are cleared and free to play. Irfan, however, is still under observation but he hasn't been issued any show cause notice so far.

"But probably in a day or two he will also be served. Apart from these five players I confirm no other player playing in the PSL is related to this issue."

It is likely the PCB will then set up an inquiry committee involving one or more judges.

Not that long ago, Jamshed was Pakistan's first-choice opener in limited-overs cricket, and with three ODI hundreds against India between March 2012 and January 2013, one with a potentially long career ahead of him.

Since then, however, a dip in form and confidence has pushed him to the periphery. Between the end of the India series in January 2013 and the start of the 2015 World Cup, Jamshed scored 458 runs at an average of 19.91 with only two fifties, featuring in 23 of Pakistan's 50 ODIs in this period. Before this, he had averaged 50.26 in 22 ODIs since his debut, scoring 955 runs, with three centuries and six fifties.

His last appearances for Pakistan were miserable ones at the World Cup: he made only five runs in three matches. An indicator of how far he has fallen was evident by his absence from the PSL in both seasons.

Overall, Jamshed has played two Tests, both against South Africa in February 2013. In 48 ODIs between 2008 and 2015, he scored 1418 runs at 31.51. Jamshed played only 18 T20 internationals, scoring 363 runs.