Pakistani cricketer Haider Ali has been arrested in the UK over rape allegations during the Pakistan Shaheens’ tour of England, triggering a major controversy in world cricket. The Greater Manchester Police confirmed the alleged incident took place on July 23, 2025, in Manchester. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has provisionally suspended Haider and pledged full cooperation with UK authorities, while also providing him legal support. Haider, 24, debuted for Pakistan in 2020, playing 2 ODIs and 35 T20Is, and was once compared to Rohit Sharma for his elegant batting style. This shocking case has cast a shadow over Pakistan cricket’s reputation.
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Greater Manchester Police confirmed arresting a 24-year-old Pakistani cricketer on rape charges, with the alleged incident taking place in Manchester during the Pakistan Shaheens’ England tour.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended Haider Ali immediately, pledging full cooperation with UK authorities while also launching its own internal inquiry under the board’s Code of Conduct.
The alleged offence reportedly happened on July 23, 2025, in Manchester, just days before Pakistan Shaheens concluded their England tour, which ran from July 17 to August 6.
Although not currently in custody, Haider Ali has been interviewed under caution by Greater Manchester Police, a standard UK procedure in serious criminal investigations.
The PCB stated it will provide Haider with legal assistance to protect his rights throughout the legal process, while respecting UK judicial procedures.
In a striking twist, Haider Ali made his international debut in Manchester on September 1, 2020, against England in a T20I—now the same city where he faces criminal allegations.
Before his suspension, Haider had played 2 ODIs and 35 T20Is for Pakistan, scoring 505 T20I runs with three fifties, and averaging over 47 in first-class cricket.
Known for his elegant stroke play, solid off-side game, and pull shots, Haider Ali has been compared to Rohit Sharma, even calling the Indian captain his “role model.”
This isn’t Haider’s first disciplinary setback—he was suspended during the 2021 Pakistan Super League for breaching Covid-19 bio-bubble protocols.
The case has revived memories of Pakistan cricket’s 2010 spot-fixing scandal in England, underlining the recurring cloud of controversy over the nation’s cricket image.
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