PCB appoints former SC Judge to hear Umar Akmal’s appeal against ban

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar as an independent adjudicator to hear Umar Akmal’s appeal against the three-year ban imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Boards Anti-Corruption Code.

PCB said in a statement the independent adjudicator will now decide on the date of the appeal hearing. “As soon as this is confirmed, the PCB will make the announcement,” it added.

Earlier, Umar Akmal had filed an appeal against the three-year-ban slapped on him by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Disciplinary Panel for not reporting approaches by corrupt elements.

Akmal had hired Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan’s law firm to help him in the case.

According to details, a three-year ban has been imposed 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. 20 February 2020.

The PCB said both periods of disqualification will run concurrently, meaning Akmal will now become eligible to return to cricket activities on 19 February 2023, said the PCB press release. 

“Akmal tried to take refuge under the pretext that in the past whenever any such approaches were made, the matter was reported by him, the statement said.”

The panel explained that Akmal’s behavior, especially his lack of cooperation, did not leave room for any mitigation.

In February, Akmal was suspended from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and charged with two separate violations of the PCB’s code of conduct. The Right-handed batsman had always been in controversies since he joined the national cricket team.