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Akmal denies any wrongdoing

Lahore - Pakistan's talented but controversial batsman Umar Akmal Monday denied any wrongdoing in a party which led to his axing from the Twenty20 team for the three-match series against England later this month.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last week said Umar was in contention for the 16-man squad but was dropped over an incident in Hyderabad in which he was alleged to have "misbehaved" with women at a party.

The PCB has also served a show cause notice to the 25-year-old batsman whose career has been chequered with disciplinary problems.

Umar, younger brother of Kamran and Adnan Akmal who also played for Pakistan, Monday responded to the PCB show cause notice.

"I attended a dinner party after being granted official permission by my team manager," said Umar in his response to the PCB notice.

Last year Umar was jailed in Lahore after he had a scuffle with a traffic warden over running a red light.

He was also left out of the team after the 2015 World Cup, with head coach Waqar Younis complaining about his insubordination during the event.

PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan last week said Umar would be given an opportunity to defend himself.

Umar meanwhile has labelled the allegations baseless.

"I am not answerable to anyone apart from the department I am playing for," Umar told reporters. "Cricket is my love and I want to represent Pakistan for a long period of time."

Pakistan's Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has also reportedly backed the embroiled batsman, asking the PCB to clear Umar and then reinstate him in the squad.

Pakistan play England in a three-match T20 series with matches in Dubai (November 26 and 27) and Sharjah on November 30.

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