Mohammad Nawaz Receives Sanctions for T20 WC 2026 Doping Violation

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Team Pakistan failed to win the T20 WC 2026 and have been hit with a scandal after that horrendous campaign. Green Shirts bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz admitted to wrongdoing after failing a doping test.

ICC Confirms Nawaz Doping Violation

The International Cricket Council (ICC) released an official statement detailing Nawaz’ breaches of their Anti-Doping Code:

“Pakistan spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has accepted a three-month period of ineligibility for breaching the ICC Anti-Doping Code,” a section of the statement read.

What Substance Did Nawaz Test Positive For?

The ICC statement revealed that Nawaz tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a banned substance under the body’s Anti-Doping Code:

“The 32-year-old had tested positive for a Substance of Abuse (Carboxy-THC) under the ICC Anti-Doping Code following a doping test carried out after Pakistan’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against the Netherlands in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 7 February,” the statement continued.

Pakistan’s Nawaz Admitted Wrongdoing Amid Doping Probe

Another part of the ICC statement gave details regarding Nawaz admitting to the offence and how he used this banned substance:

“Nawaz admitted to the offence and demonstrated that the substance had been used out-of-competition, in a manner unrelated to sport performance. As a result, he has been handed three months of ineligibility, backdated to 1 May 2026, being the date he started a voluntary provisional suspension,” another part of the statement read.

Nawaz’ Provincial Suspension Lifted After Serving Suspension

The official statement also says Nawaz’ suspension will be subject to a waiver if he commits to a treatment programme:

“Further to this, after accepting the sanction and committing to the treatment programme, Nawaz’s provisional suspension has been lifted after having served a two-and-a-half month suspension,” the release added. The statement concluded by stating how Nawaz’ suspension will be reduced after completing the specified programme:

“Subject to Nawaz completing a substance of abuse treatment programme to the ICC’s satisfaction, Nawaz will not be required to serve the remainder of the three-month period of ineligibility,” the statement confirmed.

Top Doping Cases in Cricket History

1. Shoaib Akhtar (Pakistan, 2006)

Akhtar returned a positive test for the anabolic steroid nandrolone in 2006. He received a 2-year suspension, but the punishment was later overturned on appeal.

2. Mohammad Asif (Pakistan, 2006)

Asif also tested positive for nandrolone during the same period. He received a one-year suspension for the anti-doping violation.

3. Shane Warne (Australia, 2003)

Warne tested positive for the banned diuretic Moduretic before the 2003 Cricket World Cup. He said the medication had been given to him by his mother for weight loss and served a one-year ban.

4. Prithvi Shaw (India, 2019)

Shaw was suspended for eight months after testing positive for terbutaline. It is a prohibited substance under the ICC Anti-Doping Code and was traced to an over-the-counter cough syrup. His suspension was backdated.

5. Upul Tharanga (Sri Lanka, 2011)

Tharanga failed a drug test during the 2011 World Cup after a banned steroid was detected. He maintained the substance came from a herbal treatment by an Ayurvedic practitioner and received a three-month suspension.

6. Yusuf Pathan (India, 2017)

Pathan accepted a five-month backdated ban after testing positive for terbutaline. He said it entered his system through prescribed medication that had not been declared.

7. Ahmed Shehzad (Pakistan, 2018)

The Pakistan opener was suspended for four months after a prohibited substance was detected during drug testing conducted in the Pakistan Cup.

8. John Campbell (West Indies, 2022)

Campbell was handed a four-year suspension by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) after being found guilty of multiple whereabouts failures. The suspension was due to a violation related to evading out-of-competition testing.

9. Duncan Spencer (Australia, 1999)

The Western Australia fast bowler received an 18-month ban after returning a positive test for nandrolone.

10. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa, 2025)

Rabada tested positive for benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite) during the SA20 competition. He completed a one-month suspension.

11. Stephen Fleming (New Zealand, 1995)

Legendary ex-Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Fleming was fined and suspended after admitting to smoking cannabis while on New Zealand’s tour of South Africa.