Pakistan Umar Akmal has refused to spill details before Pakistan Cricket Board‘s Disciplinary Panel about his two meetings with alleged bookies. The batsman has been handed over three years ban by PCB because he failed to report corrupt approaches ahead of the Pakistan Super League 2020.
According to the close source of PCB, Akmal has refused to co-operate with the panel and is giving contradictory statements. Although he has accepted that it was his mistake not to inform the board about the corrupt approach, he is not ready to disclose the details of two meetings with unknown people in Lahore.
“Umar claims both these gentlemen met him at parties thrown by friends in DHA. But he has refused to even tell the Anti-Corruption officials what was discussed at these meetings,” a reliable source in the Pakistan Cricket Board told PTI.
“Even when the Anti-Corruption officials first presented their report to him on the night between 19th and 20th February in Karachi, Akmal admitted he committed a mistake by not reporting the meetings to them but refrained from giving any details, the source said.
Controversies have always marred Umar Akmal:
“Umar acted very strange. On one hand, he admits he should have reported the meetings to the PCB but yet refuses to give any details of what was discussed at these meetings.”
Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s disciplinary panel, Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan has observed in his detailed judgment that Umar Akmal neither was looking guilty nor he sought an apology for failing to report corrupt approaches.
Also, reportedly, Umar Akmal is contacting lawyers to appeal against the harsh punishment of a three-year ban which would severely affect his cricket career.
The right-hand batsman has featured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20s, scoring 1003, 3194, and 1690 runs respectively. He last played for Pakistan in October and was set to play PSL before getting banned.