Umar Akmal’s appeal against three-year ban to be heard on July 13

Lahore, July 6  

Tainted batsman Umar Akmal’s appeal against his three-year ban for failing to report corrupt approaches will be heard on July 13 by former Supreme Court judge Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Monday.

The PCB banned Akmal from all forms of cricket in April after its disciplinary panel found him guilty of not reporting corrupt approaches ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) earlier this year.

The hearing, which was previously scheduled to take place on June 11 but had to be postponed due to the COVID-19-enforced lockdown, will take place at the National High Performance Centre in Lahore.

Khokhar will hear the appeal as an independent adjudicator.

“Former Supreme Court judge Mr Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, in his capacity as an independent adjudicator, will hear Umar Akmal’s appeal on 13 July at the National High Performance Centre in Lahore,” PCB posted on its website.

“Notices for the hearing have been issued to Umar Akmal and the PCB. The PCB will make no comment on the matter until Justice Khokhar has announced his decision,” it added.

Akmal filed an appeal against the ban which was imposed after the panel found him guilty of breaching Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two separate incidents.

Spot-fixing offers were made to Akmal at two separate parties held in Defence Housing Society Lahore.

The disciplinary panel chairman Justice (retd) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan had observed that Akmal was non-cooperative and did not show any remorse.

He is the younger brother of former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, who played 53 Tests, 58 T20s, 157 ODIs, and cousin of current captain Babar Azam.

Akmal, who last played for Pakistan in October, has featured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20s, scoring 1,003, 3,194 and 1,690 runs across the three formats, respectively.

He last played for Pakistan in October 2019, in a T20 series against Sri Lanka at home. PTI 

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.