The independent adjudicator hearing Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal's appeal against a three-year ban for failure to report corrupt approaches reserved his order on the matter on Monday. Akmal was banned in April after he failed to report corrupt approaches at the beginning of the currently suspended Pakistan Super League T20 event. He was declared uncooperative during the disciplinary hearing into the matter. "Former Supreme Court judge Mr. Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, in his capacity as an independent adjudicator, reserved his order on Umar Akmal's appeal after listening to the arguments of both sides today," stated a media release from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The Board also stated that it would make no further comment on the matter.
Spot-fixing offers were made to Akmal at two separate parties held in Lahore ahead of the PSL. Akmal's failure to report them to the PCB led to his provisional suspension in February before the lengthy ban was imposed after disciplinary hearings.
Chairman of the PCB's Disciplinary Panel, Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, had observed that Akmal was non-cooperative and did not show any remorse.
He is the younger brother of former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, who played 53 Tests, 58 T20s, 157 ODIs, and cousin of current captain Babar Azam.
Akmal, who last played for Pakistan in October, has featured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20s, scoring 1,003, 3,194 and 1,690 runs across the three formats, respectively.
He last played for Pakistan in October 2019, in a T20 series against Sri Lanka at home.