Malik cleared of overseas deposits charges

Pakistan’s former captain Shoaib Malik has been cleared of all charges by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) integrity committee and his chances of joining the team have brightened with the likelihood that he will be named the captain of Pakistan’s ODI and T20 teams.
An official of the board said that Malik satisfied the integrity committee in the previous hearing about £ 90,000 deposited in one of his bank accounts and presented the details of their usage as well. The integrity committee cleared Malik and the official declaration on Friday announced his clearance.
The 29-year-old Malik has not been selected for Pakistan since last summer’s tour of England after he failed to account for money held in an overseas bank account before an integrity committee of the PCB.
Former all-rounder Malik represented Pakistan in 32 Tests and 192 one-dayers and he was hopeful to represent the national team in upcoming tours. But an official of the board said that Malik’s induction in the squad was conditional to his fitness and form.
Malik scored two centuries and eight half-centuries in 54 innings of 32 Tests and scored 1,606 runs whereas took 21 wickets giving out 1,291 runs.
In 192 One-Day Internationals, Malik made seven centuries and 31 half-centuries in 172 innings and scored 5,188 runs. He scored 636 runs in 32 T20 matches and grabbed 14 wickets.
The committee includes PCB Cchairman Ijaz Butt, Justice (r) Jamshaid Ali Shah, PCB COO Subhan Ahmad, International Director Zakir Khan, Domestic Director Sultan Rana, Security Manager Col (r) Wasim Ahmed and legal adviser Taffazul Rizvi while Mohsin Khan could not attend the meeting due to his prior engagements and was consulted by the committee over telephone.
The PCB official said: “The matter of Malik which was initiated suo motu by the committee with regard to certain deposits in his overseas accounts had been under consideration since December last year. Various meetings of the committee were held and a number of personal hearings were also provided to Malik.”
“Malik was directed to provide complete information and the committee reviewed all the material in detail and also verified the veracity of the information from relevant authorities,” the official added.
“At the last meeting of the committee held on August 15, Malik was asked to provide some additional information pertaining to the above deposits. This information has been duly provided which the committee reviewed in its meeting held on Friday,” he said.
“The committee after detailed deliberations has unanimously reached the conclusion that Malik has established that the deposits in his overseas account did not emanate from any questionable source,” he said.