Pakistan Cricketer sanctioned by ICC for violating Anti-Doping Code

Pakistan left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz has accepted a three-month period of ineligibility after breaching the ICC Anti-Doping Code, the International Cricket Council announced. The suspension will be reduced to one month upon the satisfactory completion of a substance abuse treatment programme. The ICC said Nawaz tested positive for Carboxy-THC following a doping test conducted after Pakistan’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against the Netherlands in Colombo on February 7. The 32-year-old admitted the violation and demonstrated that the substance was used outside competition and was unrelated to sporting performance. His suspension was backdated to May 1, when he began a voluntary provisional suspension. The ICC said Nawaz has already served two and a half months, and his provisional suspension has now been lifted after he accepted the sanction and committed to the treatment programme. Subject to completing the programme to the ICC’s satisfaction, Nawaz will not be required to serve any further period of ineligibility. The ICC also confirmed that Nawaz’s records from the Netherlands match on February 7 and all subsequent matches until May 1, 2026, have been disqualified. (Newswire)