Rejecting Umar Akmal’s claims of financial crisis, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected Akmal’s proposal of paying his fine of 4.25 million rupees in instalments. If he pays the fine in time, Umar will be eligible for selection in the national team after serving a year ban for breaching several clauses of the Anti-Corruption Code. As per a PTI report, it is learnt that the PCB wanted Umar to submit taxation and other documents which will prove that he is indeed facing some financial struggles.
"The PCB was not satisfied with Umar's argument that he was facing financial difficulties at the moment after it had studied his documents. The Pakistan batsman also did not submit all documents asked for by the board," a well-informed source of the PCB was quoted by the PTI.
He further added that Umar has been clearly asked to pay the fine in full and until and unless he clears the fine, the tainted cricketer won’t be able to resume his cricketing ties with Pakistan and the rehabilitation process which is mandatory for any banned players under the Anti-Corruption Code.
It must be learnt that the Court of Arbitration for Sport has reduced the ban of Umar Akmal to just 12 months but it’s necessary for him to pay the fine of Rs 4.25 million. He breached PCB’s anti-corruption code on several occasions besides being a controversial character during his playing days.
Umar Akmal was suspended in February 202o after he failed to report corrupt approaches which were made to him before the curtain-raiser of the fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League. The disciplinary panel of PCB found him guilty under two separate charges and subsequently handed him a three-year ban. Meanwhile, sources close to Umar Akmal said that he was indeed going through a financial crisis as he had to pay a lot for the lawyers for this ongoing case.