LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board has officially announced that it has received the response of Umar Akmal against a notice of charge for violating two clauses of the PCB’s Anti-corruption Code and immediately suspended him from representing Quetta Gladiators in the fifth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League.

Umar was suspended on March 20 on the day when the tournament got underway in Karachi for failing to inform the PCB about a contact made by some unwanted persons engaged in corrupt practices.

Umar was asked to respond to the charges by March 31, but he had submitted his reply a couple of days back.

According to the anti-corruption code, every cricketer has to inform the PCB immediately after being contacted by such persons otherwise he will charged of breaching Article 2.4.4 of the code.

Though the PCB did not announce the stance of Umar in his response there are media reports that the cricketer has accepted his mistake of not informing the PCB as required, and therefore will not contest the case. However, the PCB in a press release states: “The PCB will now review and examine Umar Akmal’s response and provide further details on the next steps in due course. Until that stage, the PCB will not make any further comments on this matter.”

Under 2.4.4, the accused may be penalised for minimum of six months ban or maximum life-ban, considering different aspects of the case. The previous disciplinary record of the cricketer will also be considered while deciding the period of the ban. And as it has been reported that Umar has confessed, the PCB will not form any tribunal.

Published in Dawn, April 1st, 2020