The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday that it has provisionally suspended Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s left-arm spinner Asif Afridi with immediate effect under Article 4.7.1 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, which means that he cannot take part in any cricket-related activity, pending conclusion of the investigation being carried out by the board's anti-corruption unit.

"Asif Afridi has today been issued a Notice of Charge for two breaches under Article 2.4 of the Code and has fourteen (14) days to respond to the charges," stated a PCB press release on Tuesday.

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“As this is an ongoing investigation, the PCB will not make any further comment pending the outcome of this case."

Article 4.7.1 states: Where either (a) the PCB decides to charge a Participant with an offence under this Anti-Corruption Code; or (b) the PCB considers that there are other exceptional circumstances relevant to a Participant (for example, where any relevant police authority has arrested and/or charged a Participant with an offence under any relevant criminal law in respect of facts or circumstances that may also constitute an offence under this Anti-Corruption Code), it, shall have the discretion, in circumstances where it considers that the integrity of the sport could otherwise be seriously undermined, to Provisionally Suspend the Participant pending the Anti-Corruption Tribunal‟s determination of whether he/she has committed an offence.

Any decision to Provisionally Suspend the Participant will be communicated to the Participant in writing, with a copy sent at the same time to the ICC and, where applicable, the National Cricket Federation to which the Participant is affiliated.