Karachi
Former Pakistan opener-turned-commentator, Ramiz Raja, has severely criticised the banned Men in Green middle-order batsman Umar Akmal, after the latter was ousted from all forms of cricket for a period of three years.
Akmal has been banned for breaching Article 2.4.4 of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)’s Anti-Corruption code. He had failed to disclose corrupt approaches made to him and was suspended just before the beginning of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season five.
‘So Umar Akmal officially makes it to the list of idiots! Banned for 3 years. What a waste of a talent! It’s high time that Pakistan moved towards passing a legislative law against match fixing. Behind bars is where such jack a**es belong! Otherwise brave for more!!’ said Raja while showcasing his frustration in a tweet. According to Article 6.2, the range of permissible period of ineligibility for those charged and found guilty for a violation of Article 2.4.4 is a minimum of six months and a maximum of a lifetime.
Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code reads as: ‘Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the Participant to engage in Corrupt Conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code’.
Akmal has featured in in 16 Tests, 121 One-day Internationals (ODIs) and 84 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), since making his debut in 2009.
His last appearance in Pakistan colours was in the T20I series against Sri Lanka in Lahore in 2019, where he made golden ducks on both occasions.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the PCB Director Anti-Corruption and Security, Lt Col (R) Asif Mahmood, said PCB did not take any pleasure in seeing a promising international cricketer being declared ineligible for three years on corruption charges, but this was once again a timely reminder to all who think they can get away by breaching the anti-corruption code.
The anti-corruption unit regularly holds education 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,’ he said.—Agencies
