Umar Akmal, the talented Pakistani batsman was handed a three-year ban by the disciplinary panel after he was found guilty of not reporting corrupt approaches for fixing matches. Akmal was found guilty of two charges under the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, rendering him ineligible for cricket activities till February 19, 2023.
Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, who submitted his detailed judgment on the case to the Pakistan Cricket Board, observed in his report that Akmal did not seem prepared to show remorse nor did he seek an apology for failing to report corrupt approaches.
Najam Sethi reveals Umar Akmal suffers from epilepsy; needs psychiatric treatment
"It appears that he (Umar Akmal) is not prepared to show remorse and seek an apology, make an admission that he failed to fulfill his responsibility under Anti-Corruption Code… rather he tried to take refuge under the pretext that in the past whenever any such approaches were made, the matter was reported by him," Justice Chauhan said in the judgment, which was made public on Friday on its official website.
Akmal was provisionally suspended on the eve of the Pakistan Super League. He was charged with two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents on March 17.
"The charge as framed is proved and the participant (Umar Akmal) has rendered himself liable to be punished for breach of Article 2.4.4. It is also admitted by him (Umar Akmal) that he failed to report the approaches and invitation to the PCB Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department, as required by the PCB Code, Article 2.4.4. In view of the above charge as framed, stood proven and the participant has rendered himself to be punished under Article 6.2 of the PCB Code,” Justice Chauhan said.
The right-hander, who is also the cousin of current Pakistan batting heartthrob Babar Azam, last played for Pakistan in October, has featured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs, and 84 T20s, scoring 1003, 3194 and 1690 runs respectively.
Umar is also the younger brother of former Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, who represented his country in 53 Tests, 58 T20s, and 157 ODIs.
(PTI inputs)
