Pakistan top-order batter Haider Ali is being investigated by Greater Manchester Police and, for the moment, is out of all cricket after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a provisional suspension. Police have not released details of the alleged offence, though sources in Manchester confirm the 24-year-old is not in custody; he has, however, been interviewed under caution.
The incident is said to have taken place during Pakistan Shaheens’ recent trip to England, a three-week tour that wrapped up on Monday. Haider, one of the senior names in that squad, played every 50-over match plus both three-day games.
In a statement the board said: “The PCB has been made aware of a criminal investigation currently being conducted by the Greater Manchester Police involving cricketer Haider Ali. The investigation pertains to an incident that reportedly occurred during the Pakistan Shaheens’ recent tour of England.”
The board went on: “The PCB fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the United Kingdom and acknowledges the importance of allowing the investigation to run its due course. Accordingly, the PCB has decided to place Haider Ali under provisional suspension, effective immediately, pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation. Once the legal proceedings are concluded and all facts have been duly established, the PCB reserves the right to take appropriate action under its Code of Conduct, if necessary.”
Behind the formal language lies genuine uncertainty. A PCB official, speaking on background, admitted the board “found out only after the squad landed home” and is still piecing events together. For now, the priority, the same official said, is legal representation “to protect the player’s rights”.
Haider’s international record is modest but promising: two ODIs, 35 T20Is and a maiden Test call-up last winter that never quite turned into a cap. Those close to him insist he is “shocked” by the turn of events.
From here the timeline depends on GMP procedure—a process that can move slowly. Until then, the PCB’s temporary ban stays in place, and Pakistan’s coaching staff reshuffle their white-ball plans yet again.
