Umar Akmal's 3-year-ban reduced to 18 months

Lahore: Pakistan middle-order batsman Umar Akmals ban over corruption charges has been reduced by one and a half years by an independent adjudicator.

According to a report in Cricket Pakistan, former Supreme Court judge Justice (retired) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, in his capacity as an independent adjudicator, gave his decision on Umar's appeal after listening to the arguments of both sides.

Umar, was in April, been banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board from all forms of cricket for three years after pleading guilty to failing to report match-fixing approaches.

However, now with the reduction in ban, the Pakistan batsman will be eligible to play cricket again from August 19, 2021.

Umar, who has played 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20Is for Pakistan, had earlier stated in an interview that he was offered money to skip matches against India. He had also revealed that he was asked to leave two deliveries in a match by the bookies.

"I was once offered $200,000 for leaving two deliveries. I was also offered to skip matches against India," Akmal was quoted as saying by GeoTv.

On April 27, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel, Justice (retd) Fazal-e-MiranChauhan, had banned Umar Akmal for three years after finding him guilty of breaching Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two separate incidents.

Under Article 7.5.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, an appeal against the decision of the Independent Adjudicator shall lie exclusively before the Court of Arbitration for Sports.