He truly was- once upon a time- a dangerous lower-order batsman. Not someone you wanted to bowl short. Not someone you’d ever take for granted. There was a sense of power and passion about Umar Akmal, formerly, a famous right-handed batsman for Pakistan.
Let there be no misunderstanding. This hasn’t been just another team. It’s a pantheon of greats of sorts, a bastion of cricket that has, time and again, produced awe-inspiring greats, such as Hanif Mohammad, Wasim Bari, Abdul Qadir, Imran Khan, Wasim, Waqar, and where the recent era stands- then Inzamam, Saeed Anward, Younis Khan, and the unsung Mohammad Younus.
That said, there have also been a herd of miscreants from the country who, despite their possession of genuine, match-winning and unflinching talent, have chosen to tread on murkier grounds.
Among them- dangerous right-handed batter Umar Akmal.
Now what’s interesting is that while nowhere did the former Pakistan batter get into match-fixing or spot-fixing nor did he have any role, at all, in organising anything untoward or unconsitutional to the game, his failure to report a case of spot-fixing has left him out and away from the game.
So what exactly happened?
Well, following a long, detailed inquiry into the spot-fixing saga wherein Umar Akmal had failed to report an actual instance of spot-fixing, the PCB have made their mind on the matter and came out with their ruling or decision.
“Umar Akmal handed three-year ban from all cricket by Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel Mr Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan,” the PCB wrote on Twitter.
That being said, Lt. Colonel Asif Mahmood, from the Anti Corruption and Security wing also added some points where he can be seen urgently making a request to the rest concerning this recent PCB decision.
He was of the view that:
“The anti-corruption unit regularly holds educational seminars and refresher courses at all levels to remind all professional cricketers of their obligations and responsibilities. And even then if some cricketers decide to take the Code in their hands, then this is how things will pan out.
“I request all professional cricketers to stay away from the menace of corruption and immediately inform relevant authorities as soon as they are approached. This is in their as well as their teams’ and country’s best interest.”
Umar Akmal was issued a Notice of Charge by PCB under the PCB Anti-Corruption Code (the “Code”) on Tuesday, 17 March, and he had responded within the stipulated deadline. was provisionally suspended on 20 February 2020.