CAS reduces ban on Pakistan's Umar Akmal to 12 months, imposes fine of $27,000

Islamabad: The Court of Arbitration for Sports has reduced the ban on international cricketer Umar Akmal to 12 months and fined him Rs 4.25 million ($27,000) for breaching the Pakistan Cricket Board’s anti-corruption code. Akmal was suspended in February 2020 for failing to report details of corrupt approaches made to him just before the start of the fifth Pakistan Super League. The PCB’s disciplinary panel last April found Akmal guilty on two charges of separate breaches and handed him a three-year suspension — with the periods of ineligibility to run concurrently. That ban was halved after Akmal appealed to an independent adjudicator, before both Akmal and the PCB took the matter to the CAS. The PCB on Friday said the 30-year-old Akmal is now eligible to reintegrate into competitive cricket, subject to paying the fine, and also has to go through the rehabilitation program under the cricket board’s anti-corruption code. Akmal has represented Pakistan in more than 200 international cricket matches, including 16 Tests. “The PCB once again urges and reminds all participants to abide by their duty and promptly report any approaches to the anti-corruption officers and help themselves as well as the anti-corruption unit’s effort to eliminate the anathema of fixing,” the PCB said in the statement.