The Pakistan Super League (PSL) was rocked by a spot-fixing scandal during its second season in February 2017. The PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit charged five players, with opener Sharjeel Khan and batsman Khalid Latif being the most prominent names. The charges related to the PSL match between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi.
Sharjeel Khan, a destructive opener who had played 25 ODIs and 15 T20Is for Pakistan, was found guilty of multiple corruption charges including agreeing to fix, failure to report approaches, and concealing evidence. He was initially given a five-year ban, later reduced to three and a half years (with half suspended) on appeal. He returned to cricket in 2020.
Khalid Latif, who had played five Tests and 13 T20Is for Pakistan, received a five-year ban after being found guilty of more serious involvement in the fixing plot. Latif allegedly acted as a recruiter, bringing other players into the fixing arrangement. His ban was upheld on appeal.
The PSL fixing scandal was particularly damaging for Pakistan cricket, which was still recovering from the Lord's spot-fixing scandal of 2010. The PCB acted swiftly to investigate and punish the players, which was seen as a positive step compared to past handling of corruption cases. However, the recurring nature of fixing scandals in Pakistani cricket raised deeper questions about the sport's culture and governance in the country.