Late on Saturday, The Telegraph was witness to a somewhat secluded meeting between three gentlemen (all of whom were standing) at the InterContinental, the host hotel for all teams except India, in the ongoing Asia Cup.

They were an Anti-Corruption & Security Unit official of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Afghanistan manager Shir Agha Hamkar and senior pro Mohammed Shahzad.

As the grim-faced trio stopped talking on seeing this Reporter, one moved away.

On Sunday, well-placed sources informed that Shahzad had been approached by a “bookie” to fix matches during the forthcoming T20 Afghanistan Premier League.

Details, however, weren’t forthcoming.

The T20 League will be held in the neighbouring Emirate of Sharjah, where cricket in the UAE took off in the 1980s, next month.

“Shahzad followed standard procedure and went to the ICC through his team manager. You saw them during their first, informal meeting. Investigations must have begun,” one of the well-placed sources explained.

The mushrooming of T20 Leagues across the globe have kept bookies busy, even if it has probably become tougher to approach players for/during International engagements.

But, then, it’s perhaps best not to underestimate the reach of bookies.

Earlier on Sunday, the portly 30-year-old Shahzad, who wouldn’t find a place in any Virat Kohli-led XI, insisted that Afghanistan hadn’t drawn up a training routine exclusively for him.

“Mere liye koi special programme nahin hai. I train like the rest of my teammates. Koi favours nahin hain. I feel fit, in the body and mind,” Shahzad maintained.

An opener and ’keeper, Shahzad is looking forward to playing till the 2019 World Cup. “Whether the team’s thinking is the same, main nahin bol sakta,” he accepted.

Shahzad is “confident” that idol Mahendra Singh Dhoni too will play till then.

“I met some of my other friends in the India team the other day, Shikhar Dhawan, Kuldeep Yadav... But Dhoni probably missed seeing me...

“Maybe, I’ll get the chance to meet Dhoni before or after our Super Four clash on Tuesday...

“Ab nahin milenge to nahin milenge, won’t be an issue at all...

“I will still remember Dhoni’s affectionate gesture of presenting me with a pair of autographed gloves during the 2012 World T20 in Sri Lanka,” Shahzad said with a touch of emotion.

Shahzad had this to say when his reaction was sought to Afghanistan becoming a Test nation: “Bahut hi khushi ki baat rahegi. It’s about getting more opportunities now. The IPL too has made a difference. Hum log sahi raaste pe hain.”

One must add that Shahzad appears to be the most popular among teammates.