"What a waste of talent", Ramiz Raja responds to ban on Umar Akmal for corruption 

Akmal has been handed a three-year ban for failing to report corrupt approaches.

Umar Akmal | GettyPakistan batsman Umar Akmal was on Monday (April 27) banned by Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) Disciplinary Panel on charges of corruption for three years. 

Akmal was charged for two breaches of PCB's anti-corruption code in relation to not disclosing invitations to engage in corrupt activities. 

Read Also: Zaheer Abbas happy as PCB asks Pakistan government to criminalise fixing

And, former batsman-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja, found this as an ideal opportunity to once again urge the authorities to make sure that the players accused of spot or match-fixing are put behind the bars and never allowed to resume with their on-field careers. 

"So Umar Akmal officially makes it to the list of idiots! Banned for 3 years. What a waste of a talent! It’s high time that Pakistan moved towards passing a legislative law against match-fixing. Behind bars is where such jack a***s belong! Otherwise brave for more!!" Ramiz tweeted about Akmal, who has played 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20Is for Pakistan.

Ramiz had even earlier called for stricter punishments against those involved in corruption, lamenting the allowance for Sharjeel Khan to return to cricket despite proven involvement in 2017 PSL spot-fixing scandal. Before Sharjeel, it was pacer Mohammad Amir, who served a ban for the 2010 Lord's Test spot-fixing controversy but is now looking forward to a long career in the sport. 

"You ask me I would say these tainted cricketers should open their grocery shops," said Ramiz on former India Test batsman Aakash Chopra's youtube channel. 

"There is once again talks of redrafting Sharjeel Khan into the team which is not right and can damage Pakistan cricket."

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani did say that the board is in communication with the PM Imran Khan-led national government to criminalise fixing in the country. 

 

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 28 Apr, 2020

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