Haider Ali Cleared of UK Assault Allegations

News Desk

Islamabad: Haider Ali, who had been accused by a British-Pakistani woman of assault at a Manchester hotel, was arrested on August 4 at the Spitfire County Cricket Ground in Kent during Pakistan Shaheen’s tour of England. He was taken into custody and later shifted to Canterbury Police Station.

After several weeks of investigation, UK authorities have cleared the 24-year-old batter of rape allegations, citing “insufficient evidence” to move forward with the case. With the matter dropped, Haider has regained his passport and is now free to resume cricket duties and travel without restrictions.

The episode had also drawn criticism toward the Shaheens’ team management, with head coach Imran Farhat and captain Saud Shakeel questioned over the incident.

The development comes as a major relief for Haider Ali, once considered among Pakistan’s most promising batting prospects after his international debut in 2020. The allegations had cast uncertainty over his comeback to the national setup.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which had suspended him from all cricket-related activities during the probe, has yet to issue a statement regarding his reinstatement in domestic cricket.