Pakistan spinner sanctioned for breaching ICC Anti-Doping Code

ICC - Pakistan spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has accepted a three-month period of ineligibility (which will be reduced to one month on completion of a substance of abuse treatment programme) for breaching the ICC Anti-Doping Code.

The 32-year-old had tested positive for a Substance of Abuse (Carboxy-THC) under the ICC Anti-Doping Code following a doping test carried out after Pakistan’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against the Netherlands in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 7 February.

Nawaz admitted to the offence and demonstrated that the substance had been used out-of-competition, in a manner unrelated to sport performance.

As a result, he has been handed three months of ineligibility, backdated to 1 May 2026, being the date he started a voluntary provisional suspension.

Further to this, after accepting the sanction and committing to the rehabilitation programme, Nawaz’s provisional suspension has been lifted after having served a two and a half month suspension.

Subject to Nawaz completing a substance of abuse rehabilitation programme to the ICC’s satisfaction, Nawaz will not be required to serve the remainder of the three-month period of ineligibility.

In line with the ICC Anti-Doping Code, Nawaz’s records from the match against the Netherlands on 7 February and in subsequent matches until 1 May 2026 have been disqualified.