PCB suspends Umar Akmal pending anti-corruption investigation

Karachi: Umar Akmal's flatter-to-deceive career took another hit on Thursday when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) suspended the batsman with immediate effect, pending an anti-corruption investigation.

The PCB, however, did not get into the specifics of the breach committed by Akmal.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board today suspended Umar Akmal with immediate effect...he cannot take part in any cricket-related activity pending the investigation being carried out by PCB's Anti-Corruption Unit," the PCB said in a statement.

"As this is an ongoing investigation, the PCB will not make any further comments," it said.

Akmal was suspended hours before his Pakistan Super League (PSL) team Quetta Gladiators was to take on Islamabad in the opening match of the 2020 edition on Thursday.

"Quetta Gladiators are allowed to apply for Umar Akmal's replacement in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020," the PCB added.

He is the younger brother of former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal and cousin of current captain Babar Azam.

The 29-year-old, who last played for Pakistan in October, has featured in 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20s, scoring 1003, 3194 and 1690 runs respectively.

Akmal, who promised a lot after making a hundred in New Zealand on his Test debut, has failed to live up to the high expectations that came with some fine performances early in his career.

Constant run-ins with the authorities have also marred his stop-start career.

Earlier this month, Akmal had escaped a PCB ban for allegedly making crude remarks to a trainer during a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.