The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday (April 27) banned Umar Akmal from all cricket for three years for not reporting a fixing offer before the start of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

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According to a tweet by PCB, the ban was imposed by the board’s Disciplinary Panel chairman Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan.

Reacting on the verdict, Umar’s elder brother Kamran Akmal said the suspension is "very harsh" and the former will "definitely challenge" it.

"I am definitely surprised at the harsh punishment given to Umar. A three- year ban is very harsh. He will definitely approach every available forum to appeal against this ban," Kamran quoted as saying by PTI.

Supporting his sibling’s case, the senior Akmal also pointed out that other players have been given much lighter punishments for similar charges.

"Definitely it is hard to understand because other players in the past have got short bans for similar offences. Yet Umar has got such a harsh punishment," he added.

Kamran was referring to Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Nawaz who were handed short bans for not reporting corrupt approaches made to them.

Umar Akmal represented himself at the hearing held at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on Monday, while the PCB was represented by its legal counsel Tafazzul Rizvi.

Rizvi argued that Umar's case was different to those of the other two players, who left themselves at the discretion of the court.

He also said that the other players had one charge against them while Umar had two different charges against him.

"Umar admitted to the charges but tried to justify himself and the judge also gave him a chance several times to review his position which he didn't," Rizvi said.

Having made his international debut in 2009, Umar Akmal has represented Pakistan in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20Is so far.

(With PTI inputs)