Out of favour and controversial batsman, Umar Akmal has left for the United States in search of a better future and more opportunities. Having fallen out of Pakistan selectors’ radar, Akmal has stayed out of international action since 2019.Taking to Twitter, Akmal, on Friday, provided the update of him travelling to the US. “I am travelling to US [United States] for some personal meetings, if all goes well I might have to stay there for some time! I need my supporters to pray for me like they have always prayed!” his tweet read.A report on Cricket Pakistan suggests that “Akmal will play matches during the time he spends in the US” and that he is “keen on securing a long-term contract in the US, similar to opener Sami Aslam.”
He was handed a three-year ban after he was found guilty of breaching PCB Anti-Corruption Code in two independent incidents. Although, the sentence was reduced to 18 months after Akmal successfully appealed against the decision. Later, the period was further reduced to 12 months by The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) along with a PKR 4.25 million fine slapped on the 31-year-old.Apologizing for his mistake, he said in a video released by PCB that he “learned a lot” during his ban, while he sought forgiveness from all the fans. The 31-year old Umar has played 16 Tests, 121 ODIs and 84 T20 internationals for his country. His last appearance in an international match came in November 2019 when he played in a T20 series at home against Sri Lanka. Before his ban in February 2020, Umar had slammed a hundred in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final for Central Punjab.
