Former PCB chairman Najmal Sethi said Umar Akmal has mental problem, requires treatment
Former Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, journalist, and businessman, Najmal Sethi has made a shocking comment and said that Umar Akmal suffers from epilepsy and requires treatment. Umar Akmal was banned by the Disciplinary Panel of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday from all forms of cricket for three years for failing to report spot-fixing offers.
Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel, Mr. Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, in short order on Monday (April 27), handed Umar Akmal a three-year ban from all form of cricket (International, Domestic). The PCB will release reasons as soon as it receives them from Justice Chauhan. Pakistan wicket-keeper batsman Umar Akmal banned for three years for failing to ‘report corrupt approaches’ ahead of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020.
- On April 27, PCB banned Umar Akmal from from all form of cricket for three years.
- On April 09, After determining that Umar Akmal has not requested a hearing before the Anti-Corruption Tribunal, the Pakistan Cricket Board has referred the matter to the Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel, Mr. Justice (retired) Fazal-e-Miran Chauhan, former Lahore High Court Judge.
- On March 31, The Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that it has received Umar Akmal’s response to the Notice of Charge, which was issued on 17 March for two violations of Article 2.4.4 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code in unrelated incidents.
- On February 20, The Pakistan Cricket Board suspended Umar Akmal with immediate effect under Article 4.7.1 of the PCB Anti-Corruption Code, which means he cannot take part in any cricket-related activity pending the investigation being carried out by PCB’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
Sethi, who was Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman and Head of Executive Committee between 2013 and 2018, said:
We had medical reports that confirmed he suffered from epilepsy fits and we called him back from the West Indies. When I met him I told him it was a serious problem and he needed to take a break and get proper treatment. But he was not willing to accept this. He was mentally not there. Anyway, I stopped him from playing for two months but later on, we sent the medical reports to the selectors and left it to them because I didn’t like to interfere in their work.
Epilepsy is a central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness. Sethi further claimed that Umar always put his personal values above the team and that was what made him a relatively unsuccessful cricketer despite being supremely talented. He refuses to accept discipline and he is an individualistic player prone to play with instinct. He plays for himself, not for his team. He is outside all disciplines. I am afraid his career is threatened and it appears to me to be the end of the line for him. Umar has always been someone outside all discipline and this three-year ban was going to happen.
The former Pakistan wicketkeeper batsman Zulqarnain Haider said that cricketers like Umar Akmal, who bring shame to the sport, should be given a life ban. Talking about Akmal, Haider said that Akmal, who was the drinks-man, asked him to under-perform with the bat in 2010 against South Africa. The pressure was too much on me and I was being threatened for the next game also. I could not bear this pressure and had to run away to England thereafter.
