Pakistan’s middle-order batsman, Umar Akmal has issued an apology to the cricketing fraternity for his failure to report a match-fixing approach, which led to him being banned from all forms of cricket for 12 months.
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According to one of the steps of his rehabilitation program, he was required to apologize to the nation for his misdemeanor and his failure to report suspicious activities.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) released a video of Akmal rendering a public apology.
“17 months ago I made a mistake which caused damage to my cricket & career. I learned a lot during this time and due to that mistake, Pakistan cricket’s reputation suffered badly. I ask for forgiveness from the PCB and from cricket fans around the world,” Akmal stated in the video.
“I, Umar Akmal, would like to request all of you, as ambassadors of the sport, to stay away from any suspicious activities. If any suspicious individuals approach you, please report it to the anti-corruption unit in a timely manner so that your record and career remain clean,” he added.
The apology video was uploaded on various social media platforms:
Umar Akmal accepts his mistake! Apologizes to fans, family and Pakistan Cricket#AntiCorruption #Ban #Apologize #CricketBan #UmarAkmal pic.twitter.com/vNc3ausiSY
— Khel Shel (@khelshel) July 7, 2021
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Initially, Akmal was banned for three years by the PCB after he failed to report approaches by bookies. However, the ban was reduced to 18 months after an appeal. His ban was further reduced to only twelve months as he decided to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 4.2 million.
The 31-year old will be eligible to reintegrate into the cricketing activities as soon as his rehabilitation program is concluded.
