Umar Akmal suspended; Quetta Gladiators include Anwar Ali as replacement
February 21, 2020
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday suspended troubled batsman Umar Akmal from taking part in any cricket-related activity, delivering a massive blow to his franchise Quetta Gladiators on the day they are to open their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 campaign.
The PCB, in its press release, said the ban was "effective immediately under Article 4.7.1 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, which means he cannot take part in any cricket-related activity pending the investigation being carried out by PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit."
The board said that it would not make any comments regarding the incident as it was an ongoing investigation.
He was replaced by Anwar Ali. The 32-year-old comes in as a Silver category player having represented Gladiators in all previous editions. Ali has scored 191 runs and taking 23 wickets in his 32 appearances for the team.
Akmal was in the headlines earlier this month for exposing himself to trainers at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore after failing a fitness test, telling them to "show me where the fat is." Following the incident, the NCA coaching staff had lodged a complaint with the PCB regarding Akmal's behaviour.
Umar Akmal met suspicious people in Karachi: sources
Akmal had telephonic contact with suspicious people, sources informed Geo News, adding that he met them in Karachi.
The PCB's anti-corruption unit had earlier monitored activities of the hard-hitting batsman Akmal, said sources. They added that the 29-year-old did not inform anti-corruption officials about his contact with such people.
The PCB anti-corruption wing acted after obtaining concrete evidence against him and took both of Akmal's phones into custody.
Article 4.7.1 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code
(a) the PCB decides to charge a Participant with an offence under this Anti-Corruption Code; or (b) the PCB considers that there are other exceptional circumstances relevant to a Participant (for example, where any relevant police authority has arrested and/or charged a Participant with an offence under any relevant criminal law in respect of facts or circumstances that may also constitute an offence under this Anti-Corruption Code), it, shall have the discretion, in circumstances where it considers that the integrity of the sport could otherwise be seriously undermined, to Provisionally Suspend the Participant pending the Anti-Corruption Tribunal’s determination of whether he/she has committed an offence. Any decision to Provisionally Suspend the Participant will be communicated to the Participant in writing, with a copy sent at the same time to the ICC and, where applicable, the National Cricket Federation to which the Participant is affiliated.
