The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked the disciplinary committee to give its views on fast bowler Muhammad Akram's plea to lift the one-year ban on him.
The PCB has received a letter from Akram in which he has requested PCB chairman Tauqir Zia to lift the one-year ban on him from playing any level of cricket. Akram had sent a copy of his letter to the board which has asked the disciplinary committee to give its views on it, the news, quoting PCB sources, said on Wednesday.
It was on the recommendations of the disciplinary committee that the board imposed a one-year ban on Akram, 26, on charges of serious breach of the code of conduct. The Rawalpindi paceman left the Pakistan camp for the United Kingdom without informing the authorities before Pakistan's Asian Championship Test against Bangladesh in August.
The PCB disciplinary committee has recommended a ban of three years, but the board decided to impose the one-year ban instead. The sources said Akram, who plays for Allied Bank, has also conveyed to the board that he is keen to return to Pakistan and play in the remaining part of the domestic season particularly the national one-day championship and super league competition.
He has also clarified that he had not joined the London metropolitan police as reported in the press. Earlier, Akram in his letter apologised for his behaviour but outlined the genuine reasons for his sudden departure to the UK and pleaded his ban be lifted as cricket was his livelihood and he wanted to play for Pakistan.
''I am very thankful to the PCB chief for realising that cricket is my living and not letting the disciplinary committee put a three-year ban on my cricketing career, without any case hearing, and without my presence during the decision. Therefore, I request Zia to lift my one-season ban and allow me to play for my bank, division and country,'' he wrote in his letter.
Bureau Report