Umar Akmal to return to competitive cricket after paying a fine of PKR 4.2 Million

The last time Umar Akmal played an international match for Pakistan was in October 2019. After that, the Pakistan cricketer was banned under the PCB Anti-Corruption Code for refusing to report fixing approaches by bookies.

Akmal was officially suspended on 20th February 2020 by the PCB. And now, in a piece of news that has come as a major relief for the right-hander, Akmal will once again become eligible to return back to the competitive arena, after completing a rehabilitation program as prescribed by the PCB Anti-Corruption Code.

Akmal will also have to pay a fine of PKR 4,250,000. The PCB also released a statement regarding the matter. The PCB urged all its participants to always abide by their duty and report any sort of approach made by bookies immediately to the Anti-Corruption officers. The statement concluded by stating that this would help the PCB to eliminate the ‘anathema’ of fixing.

“The PCB once again urges and remind all participants to abide by their duty and promptly report any approaches to the anti-corruption offices and help themselves as well as the anti-corruption unit effort to eliminate the anathema of fixing,” read a statement released by the PCB.

Umar Akmal had earlier stated that he wanted his ban reduced

In fact, Umar Akmal had even earlier stated in July 2020 that he would appeal once again to get his ban reduced. His earlier ban was for a period of 18 months. Akmal was of the view that there were many cricketers in the past as well, who had committed the crime of ‘corruption’, but no one had been as severely punished. This is what Akmal had to say earlier about his ban.

“There have been many cricketers before me who have committed corruption but none of them were given a punishment as severe as mine. I will appeal once more to get my sentence reduced,” Akmal had alleged earlier.

Umar Akmal has played 121 ODIs and 84 T20Is for Pakistan. While he scored 3194 runs in the ODI format, he also plundered 1690 runs in T20I cricket. At the age of 30, and with the kind of talent that he has, Akmal’s career is far from over. The batsman will be eagerly looking forward to wearing the Pakistan jersey once again.