CAS reserves verdict on Umar Akmal's appeal against three-year ban by PCB

Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal will have to wait for a few more days to know the fate of his appeal against the three-year ban imposed on him by the PCB’s anti-corruption tribunal as the CAS has reserved its judgement. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) held a seven-hour virtual hearing, chaired by an England-based adjudicator, who reserved the verdict after listening to the arguments. [caption id=“attachment_8544971” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  File image of Umar Akmal. AFP[/caption] “Lawyers representing the Pakistan Cricket Board and Umar both submitted their arguments and details before the CAS via video link,” a source close to the batsman said. The batsman filed the appeal with the CAS after an independent adjudicator of the Pakistan Cricket Board reduced his ban from three-years to 18 months. Justice (retd) Fakhir Muhammad Khokar had reduced Umar’s ban in late July despite the PCB’s contention that the batsman had shown no remorse over his actions of not reporting a corruption approach. After Khokar reduced Umar’s ban, the PCB filed a petition with the CAS against the reduction of the ban and asked for more punishment. Later, Umar also filed an appeal with the CAS against his total ban. Umar was charged for two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents that took place in Lahore before the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League began in Karachi on February 20. Umar, who has played 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20 Internationals in a controversial career, was provisionally suspended one night before the PSL began and later the PCB Anti-Corruption Tribunal initiated charges against him and banned him for three years in April this year.