Pakistan Cricketer Umar Akmal Appeals Against His Three-year Ban

Tainted Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal on Tuesday appealed against his three-year ban slapped by the PCB for failing to report a corrupt approach.

Geo reported that Akmal has filed an appeal and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will appoint an independent panel to hear the matter. The sports website also reported that Akmal has hired Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan’s law firm to help him in his case.

PCB had banned Akmal from all forms of cricket last month after its disciplinary panel found him guilty of not reporting corrupt approaches ahead of the Pakistan Super League earlier this year.

Akmal was suspended hours before his PSL team Quetta Gladiators was to take on Islamabad in the opening match of the 2020 PSL in February.

The PCB charged him for double breach of Article 2.4.4 of its Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents in February this year ahead of the PSL — a T20 event also featuring international cricketers.

Akmal was suspended hours before his PSL team Quetta Gladiators was to take on Islamabad in the opening match of the 2020 edition.

The PCB charged him for two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of its Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents in February this year ahead of the PSL.

Akmal, 29, is the younger brother of former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, who played 53 Tests, 58 T20s, 157 ODIs, and cousin of current captain Babar Azam.

Akmal, who last played for Pakistan in October, has featured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20s, scoring 1,003, 3,194 and 1,690 runs respectively.

Akmal, who promised a lot after making a hundred in New Zealand on his Test debut, failed to live up to the high expectations that came with some fine performances early in his career.

Constant run-ins with the authorities also marred his stop-start career.