Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has been banned from all forms of cricket for three years for failing to report spot-fixing offers.
Umar Akmal file image. (Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)
Out-of-favour wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal believes the three-year ban handed to his younger brother Umar Akmal by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not reporting corrupt approaches is “very harsh” and the former would “definitely challenge” it.
Notably, Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal has been banned from all forms of cricket for three years for failing to report spot-fixing offers.
“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 said as quoted by PTI.
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The veteran of 57 Tests, 153 ODIs and 58 T20 internationals pointed out the previous cases of cricketers Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Nawaz, saying that players in the past have received short bans for committing the same offence.
“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,” said Kamran.
The news of ban came to the fore after PCB tweeted: “Umar Akmal handed three-year ban from all cricket by Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel Mr Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan.”
Umar Akmal handed three-year ban from all cricket by Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel Mr Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan.
— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) April 27, 2020
Earlier, the 29-year-old cricketer had pleaded guilty to not reporting fixing offers that led to his provisional suspension on 20 February this year.
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