LAHORE — Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal may have rescued his team with a fighting hundred in the Asia Cup this week, but he is still in trouble with the law. A court has summoned the 23-year-old to appear before on March 11 to face charges of jumping a traffic signal and then scuffling with a warden. The fast-rising batsman was arrested by police here on Feb. 1 and held for hours before being released on bail. An official said Friday that a local sessions court had issued an order for Akmal to appear on March 11. Akmal denies the charges and accused the police of one-sided action. He hit a brilliant unbeaten 89-ball 102 to lift Pakistan from a struggling 117-6 to 248-8 against minnow Afghanistan in the Asia Cup match Thursday. Pakistan bowled Afghanistan out for 176 to win by 72 runs. Meanwhile, Akmal's elder brother Kamran was also fined for a separate traffic violation in Lahore Thursday. Kamran, however, avoided trouble by admitting talking on his mobile phone while driving. “It was my mistake so I surrendered before the warden who fined me,” Kamran told reporters. Mortaza out with injury Bangladesh pace spearhead Mashrafe bin Mortaza has been ruled out of the ongoing Asia Cup with a side strain, national team physiotherapist Vibhav Singh said Friday. Singh said Mortaza picked up the injury during Wednesday's game against India, but expected him to be fit for the upcoming World Twenty20. Bangladesh was already without key players Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim is also carrying a shoulder injury from the India game. Paceman Shafiul Islam replaced Mortaza to the squad. The injury-prone Mortaza has had six knee operations, forcing him to forego Test cricket and concentrate on limited-overs cricket. — Agencies
