Umar Akmal picks up three-match ban for Arthur outburst

Umar Akmal's woes continue after a PCB disciplinary committee found him in breach of his central contract. The PCB subsequently imposed a three match ban on him, as well as a Pakistani Rs 1 million fine. But in perhaps the harshest punishment of all, all No-Objection Certificates issued to him for participation in overseas tournaments were revoked for two months, meaning Akmal will be ineligible for all but the last two weeks of the Bangladesh Premier League.

The chain of events that led to today's sanction began when Akmal called an impromptu press conference last month and accused coach Mickey Arthur of using abusive language towards him, demanding an investigative committee be set up to probe the matter. Instead, the PCB formed a disciplinary committee to investigate potential breaches of contract by Akmal himself, culminating in today's sentence.

A press release issued earlier today laid out the sanctions, saying that they had been "awarded with a heavy heart but with the hope that they would serve as a precedent for all cricketers who should be mindful of their obligations and the consequences of their actions".

The development caps what have been a torrid few months for Akmal. His central contract was terminated in July. Two months prior to that, he was sent home from the Champions Trophy after he was found to be the only player to have failed to meet fitness standards. With Arthur having made fitness a priority, Akmal has found himself cut adrift from the international side.