Troubled middle-order batsman Umar Akmal could face up to a five-year ban if found guilty as the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Unit has decided to launch a formal probe against the cricketer, most likely from next week.

Pakistan Cricket Board has issued a show-cause notice to Umar Akmal asking him to submit a reply within seven days.

Quoting sources, 24newshd.tv reported on Friday that Umar Akmal has admitted meeting with a bookie.

According to the sources, Umar Akmal did not divulge his meeting with the bookie to the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Unit, which analysed some data they retrieved from the cricketer’s cellphone after its forensic examination.

The PCB on Thursday suspended Umar Akmal with immediate effect under the Board’s Anti-Corruption Code. “He was suspended after an initial probe found him guilty,” reported the TV channel.

PCB high-ups held an emergency meeting at a hotel late Wednesday night about the issue and also took the owner of Quetta Gladiators into confidence.

In a statement, the Board stated that Umar Akmal cannot take part in any cricket-related activity pending the investigation being carried out by its Anti-Corruption Unit.  "As this is an ongoing investigation, the PCB will not make any further comments."

The suspension threw Umar Akmal out of the Quetta Gladiators team, which defeated Islamabad United by three wickets in the inaugural match of Pakistan Super League 2020 at the Karachi’s National Cricket Stadium on Thursday night.

With PCB’s permission, Quetta Gladiators replaced Umar Akmal with all-rounder Anwar Ali in the team.

Umar Akmal has received numerous fines and suspensions in his 11-year career and was arrested in 2014 after violating traffic rules in his native Lahore.

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 percent 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.