Pakistan batter Haider Ali has been arrested in the UK on suspicion of rape and released on police bail while enquiries continue. The 24-year-old, touring with the Pakistan Shaheens, was taken into custody by Greater Manchester Police earlier this week and remains in the country.
“After receiving a report on Monday 4 August 2025 of a rape, we have arrested a 24-year-old man,” Greater Manchester Police told ESPNcricinfo. “It’s alleged that the incident occurred on Wednesday 23 July 2025 at a premises in Manchester. The man has since been bailed pending further enquiries. The victim is being supported by officers.”
Haider was detained in Beckenham, south-east London, where the Shaheens were playing the final match of their five-game tour. He featured in all five fixtures, including matches on 22 and 25 July. The alleged offence falls between those dates, and UK law lists rape as an offence carrying a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
On Thursday, the PCB confirmed the player “is under criminal investigation in the UK” and has been suspended from all cricket activities. The board said it “fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the UK” and will provide the batter with legal assistance. They added that no further comment will be made until the case is resolved.
The Shaheens have since flown to Australia for a T20 tri-series, replacing Haider with all-rounder Mohammad Faiq. Team staff are understood to be cooperating with both police and the PCB.
Haider’s international record shows two ODIs and 35 T20Is, highlighted by a 33-ball 54 on debut at Old Trafford in 2020. Reputation as a clean striker earned him early comparisons with some of Pakistan’s more aggressive batters, especially after a PSL season for Peshawar Zalmi where he scored 239 runs at a strike-rate above 157. Form, though, has fluctuated. Injuries and inconsistency have kept him out of the senior side, and this Shaheens tour was billed as a fresh audition ahead of Pakistan’s next white-ball cycle.
Former selector Inzamam-ul-Haq, speaking to a local TV channel, offered a brief view: “He is a talented kid, no doubt, but the law has to take its own course.” A senior Shaheens coach, requesting anonymity, struck the same note: “We want to help him, yet we must respect the investigation.”
For now, the PCB’s stance is straightforward. The player remains suspended, legal channels are being followed, and any cricketing comeback must wait until the courts decide.
