Umar Akmal, Junaid Khan to receive warnings for verbal spat

ISLAMABAD: Cricketers Umar Akmal and Junaid Khan are likely to get a strict warning from Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for making comments against each other ahead of a match of Pakistan One Day Cup at Pindi Stadium Rawalpindi, last month.

“The inquiry committee set by the board will submit it’s report in a day or so. But it is clear both the players are not going to face any suspension. However, they will be given a strict warning with the advice to avoid such statements in future,” a source in PCB told APP on Tuesday.

The verbal spat between Umar Akmal and left-arm pacer Junaid Khan took place when the former captaining the Punjab province against Sindh in Rawalpindi was asked about his team combination.

He first informed that all-rounder Nasir Nazir would be playing in place of left-arm pacer Junaid. And then while expressing his shock at his (Junaid’s) absence stated that he had just come to know that the bowler was absent from the match. Within minutes, Junaid in a video message on his social media account from his hotel room expressed displeasure over what Akmal had said.

The PCB had set up a committee headed by General Manager (Domestic Cricket Affairs) Shafiq Ahmed to look into the matter and submit a report at the earliest.

The source said the committee had finalized its report adding “as per information no disciplinary action has been proposed against both the players and they’ll be receiving just warnings.”

Both Umar Akmal and Junaid Khan are also part of Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, to be played in England and Wales from June 1 to 18.