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- Haider Ali and Umaid Asif suspended ahead of PSL 2021 Final - June 24, 2021
Peshawar Zalmi’s fast bowler, Umaid Asif, and batsman, Haider Ali, have been suspended from the final game of the Pakistan Super League. The decision came after both the players were found guilty of violating the protocols of the bio-secure bubble by meeting people outside of their designated secure bubble.
Sohaib Maqsood replaces Haider Ali in Pakistan Team
Haider Ali has also been withdrawn from the England and West Indies tour. Multan’s middle-order batsman, Sohaib Maqsood, is named Haider Ali’s replacement for the upcoming tours of England and the West Indies.
Sohaib Maqsood has been in top form in PSL scoring 428 runs in 12 innings at an average of 45.45 and a strike rate of 157. Maqsood ends the PSL 6 as 3rd highest run-getter.
Pakistan will depart for England on Friday to play three ODIs and three T20 matches. The team will then fly to the West Indies to play two tests and five T20 matches.
According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the incident took place on Wednesday and the decision was taken on Thursday morning by the tournament’s Covid-19 administration committee.
The PCB ensured that the two cricketers were found not to have interacted with any other squad members at any time after the incident and both of them have been placed in isolation rooms.
Both of the players have admitted to charges of infringing the health and protection protocols by meeting people from outside their designated bio-secure bubble and also failing to maintain the laws of social distancing.
Umaid Asif’s public apology
Umaid Asif released an apology on his Twitter
“(Umaid Asif) I have been suspended from the HBL PSL 6 finale for a bio-secure breach. I regret and have immense remorse for my actions. I had a momentary lapse in concentration and had a fan moment at the beach which breached bio-bubble protocols.”
