PCB clears Umar Akmal for England T20s

The Pakistan Cricket Board has cleared batsman Umar Akmal's selection ahead of the upcoming three-match T20 series against England in the UAE. Umar had been left out of the T20 squad and was handed a show-cause notice for "bringing the PCB and Pakistan Cricket into disrepute" after a news report emerged that he was involve in an "immoral activity".

Local newspaper Daily Kawish Sindhi had reported that some cricketers allegedly attended a party in Hyderabad and were caught in "immoral activity" during the third round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match between Hyderabad and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited. The PCB suspected Umar, along with Hyderabad player Azeem Ghumman, was involved in the activity and approached the local police to check if there was any report registered against him, but found nothing concrete to charge any player, and decided to clear Umar's name for national selection.

"Subsequent to his being cleared by the inquiry initiated by the PCB's security and vigilance department with regard to media reports of an incident in Hyderabad, Umar Akmal has been inducted in the T20Is squad against England," a PCB release said. "Meanwhile, Iftikhar Ahmed has been called back to make way for Umar Akmal."

Umar has been an automatic selection in T20s but was left out of the original squad hours before the announcement on instructions from the PCB.

Allrounder Imad Wasim, meanwhile, has been ruled out of the three T20s after not recovering sufficiently from the fracture injury to his left little finger. Bilal Asif, another allrounder, was therefore retained in the T20 squad. Imad injured his finger in October during a QEA match in Islamabad and was subsequently advised rest for three weeks.

"I don't think there is enough healing to allow him to play international cricket at this stage for the fear of further damaging the joint," Dr Sohail Saleem, head of PCB's Medical & Sports Sciences, said in a statement. "I will wait for another two weeks for another review. So, unfortunately his prospects of representing Pakistan in T20Is against England are non-existent. Meanwhile, he has been advised to stay in NCA to work on his fitness."