Pakistan batsman Shahzaib Hasan saw his one-year-ban from cricket increased to a period of four years on Friday after a decision by an independent adjudicator.
The opening batsman had been handed a one-year ban in February after he failed to disclose a spot-fixing attempt during the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) to relevant authorities.
The batsman had also been imposed with a fine of a million rupees along with his one-year-ban by an anti-corruption tribunal.
The 28-year-old had already served his one-year ban before he attempted to appeal the monetary fine imposed on him. Simultaneously, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had also lodged an appeal against Hasan’s sentence, calling it too lenient.
Both the appeals were heard by independent adjudicator Justice Hamid Farooq on Friday with Hasana’s ban ultimately being extended to four years.
“The independent adjudicator Justice (retired) Hamid Hussain has accepted (the) PCB’s appeal and lifted the ban to four years while upholding the fine,” PCB legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi told the media after the hearing.
The batsman has played 10 T20Is for Pakistan in his career.
The independent adjudicator also upheld the monetary fine imposed on Hasan.
Hasan, along with Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Irfan and Nasir Jamshed had all been implicated in the spot-fixing scandal which rocked the second edition of the PSL.
His lawyer Kashif Rajwana has stated that the player intends to challenge Friday’s verdict in a court.
Hasan has played three ODIs and 10 T20Is so far for Pakistan and was a member of the victorious 2009 World Twenty20 winning squad.