ICC imposes retroactive 3-month ban on M Nawaz over ‘substance of abuse’
By Nawaz Gohar ; Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has accepted a three-month period of ineligibility from the International Cricket Council (ICC) following an anti-doping code violation. However, thanks to a retroactive timeline, the 32-year-old has effectively served out his time and is clear to resume his career without further sidelined delays.
According to an official release by the sport’s governing body, Nawaz admitted to the infraction involving a “Substance of Abuse”—specifically Carboxy-THC, a metabolite commonly linked to cannabis. Crucially, the independent investigation concluded that the substance was consumed out of competition and was entirely unrelated to enhancing on-field athletic performance.
The case traces back to February 7, 2026, when Nawaz was selected for a routine doping test following Pakistan’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup fixture against the Netherlands in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Nawaz voluntarily entered a provisional suspension on May 1, 2026. Because he has already served two-and-a-half months under that voluntary restriction and successfully committed to an ICC-approved substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation program, his official period of ineligibility has been collapsed to just one month. Consequently, his provisional suspension has been lifted, and he faces no additional active bans.
While Nawaz avoids future playtime loss, the anti-doping protocol carries a retroactive cost: Disqualified Records: All of Nawaz’s individual stats, records, and match participations between February 7 and May 1, 2026, have been formally expunged under the ICC Anti-Doping Code.
Collateral Contracts: The looming investigation had already cost the all-rounder a lucrative English County stint. His T20 Blast contract with Surrey—which was scheduled to run from May 26 to July 18—was canceled earlier this April when news of the positive test first surfaced.
Nawaz was a mainstay in Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year, featuring in all seven matches. He followed that up with an appearance for the Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), concluding his domestic commitments on April 29. Fortunately for national team dynamics, Pakistan’s white-ball calendar featured no international bilateral series during his provisional layout.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has maintained a conspicuous silence on the matter, yet to issue an official stance regarding the veteran spinner’s regulatory slip.
