Akmal banned on anti-corruption code on eve of PSL

Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal was suspended Thursday under an anti-corruption rule, cricket officials announced, sidelining him from the Pakistan Super League pending an inquiry.

The 29-year-old has received numerous fines and suspensions in his 11-year career, and was arrested in 2014 after violating traffic rules in his native Lahore.

Without giving details about the latest case, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said Umar had been suspended and would not play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which starts Thursday in Karachi.

"He cannot take part in any cricket-related activity pending the investigation being carried out by PCB's anti-corruption unit," the board said in a statement.

"As this is an ongoing investigation, the PCB will not make any further comments."

Umar was due to play for defending champions Quetta Gladiators in the six-team PSL.

Often described as a talented yet undisciplined cricketer, Umar has played 16 Tests, 121 one-day internationals and 84 Twenty20 internationals since his debut in 2009.

He last played for Pakistan in the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka four months ago, failing to score in both matches.

Earlier this month, the PCB warned Umar over his conduct during a fitness test where he allegedly made crude remarks to a trainer.

Last year, he was fined 20 per cent of his match fee for violating the team's curfew in Dubai after he went partying.

Umar also had run-ins with Pakistan's former head coach Mickey Arthur, who sent him home after he failed a fitness test just weeks before the 2017 Champions Trophy in Britain.

Cricket-crazy fans in Pakistan will be able to enjoy the whole of their Twenty20 league on home soil for the first time when the star-studded fifth edition in Karachi.

The month-long tournament will see top internationals such as Australians Shane Watson and Chris Lynn as well as international stars Dale Steyn, Alex Hales and Jason Roy among 36 overseas players in six teams.

Matches will be shared between Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan and Lahore after security concerns had caused most games in previous years to be played in the United Arab Emirates, with only the final stages of the last three editions being held at home.

Australian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed was born in Pakistan but fled to his adopted country in 2010 after Taliban threats.

"Hopefully it goes safe and sound to bring joys for the whole nation, and youngsters get inspired," said Ahmed, who will play for the Quetta Gladiators

Six teams - Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalanders Lutan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators - will play each other twice in a round-robin phase with the top four contesting play-offs beginning on March 17. The final will take place in Lahore on March 22.