PCB charge Umar Akmal with two breaches of Anti-Corruption Code

Umar Akmal has been charged by the Pakistan Cricket Board with two separate breaches of Article 2.4.4 of PCB's Anti-Corruption Code. The 29-year-old was issued a Notice of Charge for the same on the 17th of March and has until the end of the month to respond to it in writing.

- PCB charged Umar Akmal of violating 2.4.4 (“failure to report”) twice. Akmal has 14days to respond (from Mar 17 when the notice was served) till Mar 31.Six months to lifetime ban is the range of punishment if an accused is proven guilty. https://t.co/FLEp17Gir4

— Asif Khan (@mak_asif) March 20, 2020

Those found guilty of breaching Article 2.4.4 will be suspended for a minimum of six months. In extreme cases, the player in question can also be slapped with a lifetime ban, which is not expected to be the outcome this time around.

Last year, Bangladeshi allrounder Shakib Al Hasan was banned by the ICC for two years from all forms of cricket for admitting to three separate breaches of Article 2.4.4. The revelations shocked the cricketing world and it remains to be seen if Akmal faces a similar punishment, having been charged with two breaches of the same.

In February, Akmal, who was involved with the Quetta Gladiators in the PSL at the time, was suspended with immediate effect from all forms of cricket and has now been charged by the PCB.

No further details have been revealed at this stage and the investigation is expected to continue over the next week and Akmal is expected to respond in writing to the charge imminently.