Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has lifted one-match suspension of middle order batsman Umar Akmal and he (Umar) will be available for the first Twenty20 international against New Zealand to be staged in Auckland on January 15. Umar Akmal was banned for one match after being found guilty of violating the Clothing and Equipment Regulations of the PCB in the recently concluded Quaid-e Azam Trophy tournament.
Umar Akmal moved an appeal to the PCB against the ban. Since Umar has opted to appeal against the decision, hence, as per the PCB's regulations, the penalty of one match will remain suspended until the decision of appellate tribunal, a PCB spokesman said here Wednesday. The spokesman said the ban would have applied to the next match in which Umar was selected to participate whether domestic or international. It may be noted that Chief Selector Haroon Rasheed had recommended not banning Umar from an international match for a misconduct that the player had committed in a domestic fixture.
It is expected that Umar will face the punishment in the domestic circuit later. Critics of the game said the suspension applies to the next game regardless of whatever the format and level is. However, the decision of the PCB is strange one. In domestic circuit, department teams like SNGPL can wear only one logo, which needs to be approved by the PCB, on their uniforms. But Akmal was sporting a different one, they said, adding: The PCB must not take the decision in haste. According to the PCB's code of conduct, violation of Umar constitutes a Level 1 offence - "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings during a match".