Kamran Akmal: “It is a big relief for us to be honest that the ban has reduced from three years to 1.5 years. Still, it is too long and harsh for Umar as he wants to play cricket as soon as possible”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal has said that his brother Umar’s ban is still “too long and harsh” even though it was reduced from three years to 18 months.
The decision to halve Umar’s ban for corruption was taken by an independent adjudicator, retired Supreme Court judge, Faqir Mohammad Khokhar.
The 30-year-old was banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for failing to report corrupt approaches ahead of this year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL).
He filed an appeal in May, but even though his ban was shortened, he is still mulling over the option of lodging another appeal to get it “reduced further.”
“It is a big relief for us to be honest that the ban has reduced from three years to 1.5 years. Still, it is too long and harsh for Umar as he wants to play cricket as soon as possible,” Kamran said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Ary Sports.
“We are consulting with lawyers and our elders before appealing against [the] 18-month ban. We will not give up on this anyway. Umar should be punished but nobody ever received such harsh treatment.”
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