Pakistani cricket player Haider Ali, 24, was arrested by Greater Manchester Police on rape charges. The incident allegedly occurred on July 23, 2025, in Manchester. He was released on bail while investigations continue. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended him and is providing legal support during the UK investigation.Ali’s cricket career began promisingly. He made his mark in the 2020 PSL with Peshawar Zalmi, scoring 239 runs with an impressive strike rate over 157. His international debut was memorable, scoring 54 runs off 33 balls in Manchester, helping Pakistan win by five runs.One of his international matches thereon came against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia where he scored just 2 runs before being dismissed by Hardik Pandya. During that match in October 2022, played at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Haider couldn’t make a name for himself in arguably the biggest game in the sport as he holed out to Suryakumar Yadav.Despite his explosive batting style, Ali has struggled with consistency in his career. He has played two ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan. The Shaheens tour was seen as a chance for him to return to form and fit into Pakistan’s aggressive T20 playing style.Ali was touring with Pakistan’s Shaheens squad, their ‘A’ team, in England when the arrest happened in Beckenham. He played all five games of the tour, including matches before and after the alleged incident. He was set to join the team in Australia for a T20 series but has been replaced by Mohammad Faiq.The police have said: “After receiving a report on Monday 4 August 2025 of a rape, we have arrested a 24-year-old man. 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.”The PCB stated they “fully respects the legal procedures and processes of the UK” while providing Ali with legal support. The alleged offense carries a potential life sentence in the UK.
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