Umar Akmal banned for three years over corruption charges

Pakistan middle-order batsman Umar Akmal has been banned for three years, from all cricket, by Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel Mr Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan.

Akmal had not requested for a hearing before the Anti-Corruption Tribunal, after he was charged for two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents.

According to Article 6.2, the range of permissible period of ineligibility for those charged and found guilty for a violation of Article 2.4.4 is a minimum of six months and a maximum of a lifetime.

The right-handed batsman was provisionally suspended on February 20, 2020, just before the beginning of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season five.

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PCB Director Anti-Corruption and Security, Lt Col Asif Mahmood, said: “The PCB doesn’t take any pleasure in seeing a promising international cricketer being declared ineligible for three years on corruption charges, but this is once again a timely reminder to all who think they can get away by breaching the anti-corruption code.

“The anti-corruption unit regularly holds education seminars and refresher courses at all levels to remind all professional cricketers of their obligations and responsibilities. And even then if some cricketers decide to take the Code in their hands, then this is how things will pan out.

“I request all professional cricketers to stay away from the menace of corruption and immediately inform relevant authorities as soon as they are approached. This is in their as well as their teams’ and country’s best interest.”