LONDON: Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after testing positive for a cannabis-related substance during the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup.
The ICC said on Friday that the 32-year-old tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a metabolite of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component in cannabis, following a doping test conducted after Pakistan’s T20 World Cup match against the Netherlands in Colombo on February 7.
Carboxy-THC is listed as a Substance of Abuse under the ICC Anti-Doping Code.
Player Admits Violation
According to the ICC, Nawaz admitted the anti-doping rule violation and demonstrated that the substance had been used out of competition and was unrelated to sporting performance.
Pakistan spin-bowling all-rounder has been sanctioned under the ICC Anti-Doping Code.https://t.co/GzjhKhKOWa
— ICC (@ICC) July 17, 2026
The governing body imposed three months of ineligibility, backdated to May 1, when Nawaz voluntarily began serving a provisional suspension.
However, after agreeing to complete a substance abuse rehabilitation programme, the period of ineligibility was reduced to one month.
The ICC said Nawaz’s provisional suspension has now been lifted, having already served two-and-a-half months.
It added that, provided he completes the rehabilitation programme to the ICC’s satisfaction, he will not be required to serve any further period of ineligibility.
Under the ICC Anti-Doping Code, Nawaz’s individual results from Pakistan’s match against the Netherlands, along with any subsequent matches played before May 1, have been disqualified.
Pakistan has seen several high-profile anti-doping cases involving international cricketers.
Fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif received two-year and one-year bans, respectively, after failing drug tests before the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy.
Former Test leg-spinner Yasir Shah was also suspended for three months after failing a dope test in 2015.
