Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board has included Test batsman Umar Akmal in the squad for the T20 series against England after he was cleared for any immoral and objectionable activities while playing a domestic match in Hyderabad.
Najam Sethi, who heads the board’s executive committee, told the media today that the Hyderabad police, who were investigating into the incident of the cricketer being involved in immoral and objectionable activities during a party, had cleared Umar in their report.
“We had said before if he is cleared by the police he will be included in the T20 squad,” Sethi said.
The PCB decided to sideline Umar for the T20 series against England after the media reported that he was picked up by the police during a raid in a bungalow in Hyderabad, where a dance party was taking place.
Umar was also issued a show cause notice and told to explain whether he was involved in immoral and objectionable activities.
“Umar Akmal was in contention for a place in the T20 squad, but he was not considered following the board issuing him a show cause notice after the press reports revealed that he had brought the PCB and Pakistan cricket into disrepute,” the PCB said in a statement last week.
Umar has maintained even in his explanation to the board that he had just gone to a dinner party with some teammates while playing the domestic match for his department, Sui Northern Gas.
“I attended a dinner party after being granted official permission by (SNGPL’s) team manager,” he wrote in his explanation.
The Pakistan T20 skipper Shahid Afridi on Sunday also called for the Akmal case to be solved as soon as possible.