Umar Akmal: “I know how much I have suffered in the last year away from cricket. I want to resurrect my Pakistan career and hopefully I can do that”
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Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal said he has suffered a lot and is now focused on resurrecting his international career.
This comes after his 18-month ban for failing to report corrupt approaches ahead of last year’s Pakistan Super League (PSL) was reduced to 12 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He was also fined 4.25 million Pakistani rupees.
Akmal was initially given a three-year ban, but it was halved to 18 months following an appeal in July 2020.
With the ban backdated to when he was suspended in February 2020, the 30-year-old is now free to resume playing cricket once he completes a rehabilitation programme.
Umar Akmal "I know how much I have suffered in the last year away from cricket. I want to resurrect my Pakistan career & hopefully I can do that. I've learned a lot in the last 12 months & hopefully I can just focus on cricket now as there is a lot of cricket left in me" #Cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) February 27, 2021
“I know how much I have suffered in the last year away from cricket. I want to resurrect my Pakistan career and hopefully I can do that. I’ve learned a lot in the last 12 months and hopefully I can just focus on cricket now as there is a lot of cricket left in me,” Akmal was quoted as saying by Saj Sadiq on Twitter.