Umar Akmal appeals against three-year ban: Report

Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal on Tuesday appealed against his three-year ban imposed on him by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for not reporting a corrupt approach, as per a Geo report.

The report on www.geo.tv says as per their source, the board will within the next 15 days appoint an independent arbitrator to hear the appeal.

The website also reported that Akmal has hired Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan's law firm to help him in his case.

Akmal 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 Chairman of the Independent Disciplinary Committee after the batsman opted not to request for a hearing before the Anti-Corruption Tribunal.

Chairman of the Independent Disciplinary Panel, Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, had earlier submitted his detailed judgement on the case to the Pakistan Cricket Board, which has now been uploaded at www.pcb.com.pk.

Justice Chauhan imposed a ban of three years for each of the two charges of violating the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, which will be deemed to have come into effect from the date of Umar Akmal's suspension i.e. February 20, 2020. Both periods of ineligibility will run concurrently, meaning Umar Akmal will now become eligible to return to cricket activities on February 19, 2023.