Sharjeel lost was a major blow: Misbah ul Haq

Pakistan Test skipper Misbah ul Haq has stated that he was ‘deeply hurt’ when two of his Islamabad United’s players, including Sharjeel Khan, were withdrawn from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) due to corruption related allegations.

Pakistan Test skipper, who would be marking his last tour, as he leads Pakistan one last time against the West Indies stated in a column on cricket.com.au.

Misbah would be looking to add one last straw to his illustrious career i.e. Test series win on West Indies soil.

Talking about the Pakistan Super League (PSL) that rocked the T20 tournament, Misbah said ‘it was a massive shock’ when he came to know the corruption scandal.

“It was a massive shock when I learnt of this. The first thought that came to my mind was about Pakistan. As I said, it has taken us a long time to regain the lost pride. The second thought was about the PSL, a tournament which is getting a global audience and has become Pakistan cricket’s brand.”

Misbah added that losing Sharjeel Khan, one of the accused in PSL spot fixing too was a major blow, as Pakistan ‘badly need’ a player like him.

“It has taken us a long time and so many victories to regain the lost pride and improve the image of the team. That’s why I was very hurt when two Islamabad United’s important players, including Sharjeel Khan, were withdrawn from the Pakistan Super League due to allegations related to corruption.”

The 42 year old veteran further added that the players ‘should be banned for life if found guilty.’ However, for this the investigation should be ‘fair and there shouldn’t be any element of doubt in it.’