Akmal didn't show remorse for failing to report fixing approaches: PCB disciplinary panel head

Lahore: Umar Akmal did not seem prepared to show remorse nor did he seek an apology for failing to report corrupt approaches, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board's disciplinary panel has observed in his detailed judgement after imposing a three-year ban on the temperamental batsman.

Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan submitted his detailed judgement on the case to the Pakistan Cricket Board, which made it public on Friday on its official website. Akmal was found guilty of two charges under the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, rendering him ineligible for cricket activities till February 19, 2023. "It appears that he (Umar Akmal) is not prepared to show remorse and seek an apology, make the admission that he failed to fulfil his responsibility under Anti-Corruption Code...," Justice Chauhan said in the judgement. "...rather he tried to take refuge under the pretext that in the past whenever any such approaches were made, the matter was reported by him," he said. Akmal was provisionally suspended on the eve of the Pakistan Super League.

He was charged with two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents on March 17. On April 9, the PCB referred the matter to the disciplinary committee after the batsman opted not to request for a hearing before the Anti-Corruption Tribunal. "The charge as framed is proved and the participant (Umar Akmal) has rendered himself liable to be punished for breach of Article 2.4.4," Justice Chauhan said. "It is also admitted by him (Umar Akmal) that he failed to report the approaches and invitation to the PCB Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department, as required by the PCB Code, Article 2.4.4. "In view of the above charge as framed, stood proven and the participant has rendered himself to be punished under Article 6.2 of the PCB Code," he added. Akmal is the younger brother of former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, who played 53 Tests, 58 T20s, and 157 ODIs for Pakistan, and cousin of current captain Babar Azam.

The right-hander, who last played for Pakistan in October, has featured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20s, scoring 1003, 3194 and 1690 runs respectively. Akmal promised a lot after making a hundred in New Zealand on his Test debut but failed to live up to the high expectations that came with some fine performances early in his career. Constant run-ins with the authorities also marred his stop-start career. Akmal had earlier escaped a PCB ban in February for allegedly making crude remarks to a trainer during a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.