Umar Akmal to resume club cricket as rehabilitation ends next month

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Web Desk
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August 04, 2021

"Umar Akmal has shown remorse, attended an anti-corruption lecture," says the PCB

Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal looks on during a match. Photo: File


LAHORE: Pakistani cricketer Umar Akmal has been allowed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to resume club cricket, as per a statement from the board on Wednesday.

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"Umar Akmal has been allowed to resume club cricket activities as part of his rehabilitation process, which commenced last month," said the PCB.

The PCB said the decision has been taken after Akmal had shownremorse, attended an anti-corruption lecture and participated in a Q&A session conducted by the Security and Anti-Corruption Department.

His rehabilitation programme is expected to conclude next month, following which he will become eligible to participate in the Pakistan domestic cricket season 2021-22.

Umar Akmal apologises

In a video message last month, the cricketer had apologised to the PCB and fans for failing to report to the PCB's anti-corruption authorities that he had been approached by bookies.

"Seventeen months ago, in 2020, I committed a mistake which cost not only my career but also my cricket," Akmal had said in the statement. "My mistake was that I did not inform the Anti-Corruption Unit in time when some people [bookies] approached me," he had added.

The batsman had said he reflected on a lot of things during the time he was suspended, adding that he had come to the realisation that his actions had caused shame to Pakistan cricket.

"For that, I apologise to my family, to the Pakistan Cricket Board and to cricket fans across the globe," he had said. "I, Umar Akmal, advise you all that as cricketers, you are the ambassadors of your country. Hence, keep your distance from any suspicious activity," the batsman had further said.

He had concluded the video message by urging other cricketers to report to the PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit as soon as possible, when they are approached by any suspicious persons.

Umar Akmal banned over match-fixing row

On 27 April 2020, the Chairman Disciplinary Panel had found Akmal guilty on two charges of separate breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents and handed a three-year suspension with the periods of ineligibility to run concurrently.

Akmal had landed in hot water after he revealed in an interview that he was offered $200,000 by fixers to leave two deliveries in one of the matches. He had also claimed that he was offered money to skip matches against India.

“I was once offered $200,000 for leaving two deliveries. I was also offered to skip matches against India,” he had said in the interview.

The batsman had also said that he was approached by fixers during the ICC World Cup, including the 2015 edition played in Australia and New Zealand.

However, Akmal had failed to mention if he had reported this to the anti-corruption unit or not.

According to the ICC's Anti-Corruption Code 2.4.4 and 2.4.5, players are bound to report all the corrupt approaches made to them during any event and failure of doing so carry a minimum punishment of five years.

Akmal was suspended from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Feb 2, 2020 and charged with two separate violations of the PCB's code of conduct.



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