Umar Akmal (File Photo/AP)
Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal could have a part of his three-year anti-corruption ban suspended, a PCB source has said. However, there was fresh trouble for the under-fire batsman on Thursday, with former teammate Zulqarnain Haider sharing details of how Akmal had told him to “underperform” in a match.
PTI reported that Akmal might have a large part of his three-year sentence suspended when the judge heading the Cricket Board’s disciplinary Panel gives out his detailed judgement soon.
“People are jumping to conclusions about the three-year ban but the detailed order is yet to come out. Umar might eventually get a three-year ban with two years suspended or something like that,” a PCB source said.
He said there are chances the judge will suspend most part of the three-year ban given the clauses under which Umar has been charged by the Anti-Corruption Unit and also given his past track record.
“Umar could get a suspended sentence in his three-year ban because this will also test him as an individual to see how he behaves and conducts himself in future,” the source said.
‘Don’t bat efficiently’
Meanwhile, former Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, who retired from the game in controversial circumstances in 2010, said Umar Akmal had told him to not “bat efficiently” in a match vs South Africa in 2010.
“I am definitely surprised at the harsh punishment given to Umar. A three- year ban is very harsh. He will definitely approach every available forum to appeal against this ban,” Kamran Akmal said https://t.co/XxKsjxSJWZ
— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) April 28, 2020
“It was a very crucial match and when I was batting, Umar Akmal brought drinks for us and had told me to underperform. His clear words were: don’t bat efficiently. I had then clearly told him to only perform his drinks man duty. The matter was also brought to the team management after the match,” Haider told BDCricTime.com on Thursday.
READ | Umar Akmal’s fall from promise to disgrace: A timeline
Haider had raised eyebrows after he had disappeared from the Pakistan team during a tour of South Africa in 2010. He had later turned up in the United Kingdom, saying he had fled from the team because he had been told to throw matches and had received threats.
In a notice he had sent to the PCB, Haider had said one of the reasons why he had left the team abruptly was harassment he faced from Umar Akmal, PTI reported in 2011. He has leveled allegations of match-fixing against the Akmal family before as well.
Umar Akmal currently stands banned by PCB for three years for “failing to report corrupt approaches”.
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