<p>If ever a soap opera were to be made about Pakistan cricket, Umar Akmal might be a good candidate for the role of enfant terrible.</p>.<p>The talented-yet-wayward batsman is scrambling to save his once-promising career, after he was hit with a three-year ban for failing to report match-fixing offers.</p>.<p>Umar is expected to learn the fate of an appeal to last month's disciplinary action on or about May 26, which also happens to be his 30th birthday.</p>.<p>Right now, the signs don't look good.</p>.<p>Umar declined to speak to AFP for this story, but several experts suggested Pakistan's close-knit cricketing world is fed up.</p>.<p>"Umar is not prepared to show remorse and seek apology," the judgement accompanying Umar's ban states.</p>.<p>Ramiz Raja, a former Pakistan captain and a well-known cricket analyst, said he was "pained to see such a talent go waste".</p>.<p>"Cricket cannot condone such behaviour and fans need to realise that rooting for tainted players is actually harming Pakistan cricket and its image," Raja told AFP.</p>.<p>Umar's Test career exploded into life with a century in his 2009 debut in New Zealand, a feat that prompted commentators to describe him a "future star".</p>.<p>But his expanding profile was soon tempered with disciplinary problems. His two brothers -- Kamran and Adnan -- also played for Pakistan but never got into hot water.</p>.<p>Within months of his first international outing, Umar reportedly feigned an injury in a bid to skip a Test in Australia, in protest over Kamran being dropped.</p>.<p>He was fined and placed on a six-month probation.</p>.<p>Even the astute Misbah-ul-Haq -- Pakistan's most successful Test captain -- could not rein in Umar.</p>.<p>Following an irresponsible shot in a 2011 Test in Zimbabwe, he never again selected Umar for the longer format.</p>.<p>The following year, he was fined and reprimanded for an altercation with umpires during the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.</p>.<p>He ran into trouble off the field too. In 2014, he was arrested in his native Lahore over a scuffle with a traffic warden.</p>.<p>He has repeatedly grabbed headlines for partying late into the night, ending in yet more fines and reprimands.</p>.<p>A dozen captains and coaches tried to keep Umar on track, but without luck.</p>.<p>Waqar Younis had two coaching stints from 2010 to 2016, and ended up recommending an undisciplined "Umar be kept away from the national team for some time".</p>.<p>After Waqar, coach Mickey Arthur, of South Africa, had several run-ins with Umar.</p>.<p>In 2017 Arthur sent him home days before the start of the Champions Trophy after he failed a fitness test.</p>.<p>Later that year he received a three-month ban after a spat with Arthur in the national cricket academy in Lahore.</p>.<p>Arthur, now head coach of Sri Lanka, said he wasn't surprised by Umar's recent problems.</p>.<p>"I feel nothing for guys who waste their talent like he has... he should be the disappointed one!" Arthur told AFP in a WhatsApp message.</p>.<p>"He will only have himself to blame and should have taken responsibility for his career instead of always looking to make excuses and blame others."</p>.<p>Despite promises, Umar did not change.</p>.<p>"I want to ask forgiveness of all fans who have been hurt by my conduct," Umar said in 2017.</p>.<p>"I am ready to commit to cricket. I still have a lot of cricket left in me and I aim to make another international comeback."</p>.<p>But it seems he has now run out of chances.</p>
<p>If ever a soap opera were to be made about Pakistan cricket, Umar Akmal might be a good candidate for the role of enfant terrible.</p>.<p>The talented-yet-wayward batsman is scrambling to save his once-promising career, after he was hit with a three-year ban for failing to report match-fixing offers.</p>.<p>Umar is expected to learn the fate of an appeal to last month's disciplinary action on or about May 26, which also happens to be his 30th birthday.</p>.<p>Right now, the signs don't look good.</p>.<p>Umar declined to speak to AFP for this story, but several experts suggested Pakistan's close-knit cricketing world is fed up.</p>.<p>"Umar is not prepared to show remorse and seek apology," the judgement accompanying Umar's ban states.</p>.<p>Ramiz Raja, a former Pakistan captain and a well-known cricket analyst, said he was "pained to see such a talent go waste".</p>.<p>"Cricket cannot condone such behaviour and fans need to realise that rooting for tainted players is actually harming Pakistan cricket and its image," Raja told AFP.</p>.<p>Umar's Test career exploded into life with a century in his 2009 debut in New Zealand, a feat that prompted commentators to describe him a "future star".</p>.<p>But his expanding profile was soon tempered with disciplinary problems. His two brothers -- Kamran and Adnan -- also played for Pakistan but never got into hot water.</p>.<p>Within months of his first international outing, Umar reportedly feigned an injury in a bid to skip a Test in Australia, in protest over Kamran being dropped.</p>.<p>He was fined and placed on a six-month probation.</p>.<p>Even the astute Misbah-ul-Haq -- Pakistan's most successful Test captain -- could not rein in Umar.</p>.<p>Following an irresponsible shot in a 2011 Test in Zimbabwe, he never again selected Umar for the longer format.</p>.<p>The following year, he was fined and reprimanded for an altercation with umpires during the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka.</p>.<p>He ran into trouble off the field too. In 2014, he was arrested in his native Lahore over a scuffle with a traffic warden.</p>.<p>He has repeatedly grabbed headlines for partying late into the night, ending in yet more fines and reprimands.</p>.<p>A dozen captains and coaches tried to keep Umar on track, but without luck.</p>.<p>Waqar Younis had two coaching stints from 2010 to 2016, and ended up recommending an undisciplined "Umar be kept away from the national team for some time".</p>.<p>After Waqar, coach Mickey Arthur, of South Africa, had several run-ins with Umar.</p>.<p>In 2017 Arthur sent him home days before the start of the Champions Trophy after he failed a fitness test.</p>.<p>Later that year he received a three-month ban after a spat with Arthur in the national cricket academy in Lahore.</p>.<p>Arthur, now head coach of Sri Lanka, said he wasn't surprised by Umar's recent problems.</p>.<p>"I feel nothing for guys who waste their talent like he has... he should be the disappointed one!" Arthur told AFP in a WhatsApp message.</p>.<p>"He will only have himself to blame and should have taken responsibility for his career instead of always looking to make excuses and blame others."</p>.<p>Despite promises, Umar did not change.</p>.<p>"I want to ask forgiveness of all fans who have been hurt by my conduct," Umar said in 2017.</p>.<p>"I am ready to commit to cricket. I still have a lot of cricket left in me and I aim to make another international comeback."</p>.<p>But it seems he has now run out of chances.</p>