Pakist cricketer Umar Akmal three-year suspension has been reduced to 18 months by an independent adjudicator, former Pakistan Supreme Court judge, Faqir Mohammad Khokhar.
On April 27, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel, Justice (retd) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, banned wicketkeeper-batsman for three years after finding him guilty of breaching the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) Anti-Corruption Code in two separate incidents.
On May 19, Akmal filed an appeal against the three-year ban imposed on him, seeking a reduction in the duration of the sanction.
Akmal will remain suspended effectively from February 2020 till August 2021. The right-handed batsman said he might appeal again to get the ban "reduced further".
"I am thankful to the judge for listening to my lawyers properly. I will decide about the remaining sentence and try to get it reduced further. For now I am not satisfied and will consult my lawyers and family how to take this ahead," ESPNcricinfo quoted Akmal as saying.
"There are many players before me who made mistakes and just look at what they got and what I got. So all I say right now is thank you very much," he added.
Akmal was charged for two breaches of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two unrelated incidents.
Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code reads, "Failing to disclose to the PCB Vigilance and Security Department (without unnecessary delay) full details of any approaches or invitations received by the participant to engage in corrupt conduct under this Anti-Corruption Code."
( With inputs from ANI )
