UAE cricketer banned for 15 months for doping

United Arab Emirates (UAE) experienced batter Asif Khan has been banned from all forms of cricket for 15 months due to a doping offence. The International Cricket Council (ICC) formally confirmed the punishment for the 36-year-old cricketer in a statement.

Earlier, in September 2025, Asif's sample tested positive for the prohibited substance 'Mastorolone metabolite' in a doping test. The former Pakistan Under-19 cricketer accepted responsibility for violating Article 2.1 of the ICC's Anti-Doping Code. As he agreed to a 'Case Resolution' agreement directly with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), there is no scope for Asif to appeal or seek a review of the sanction.

The ICC said the ban has been enforced from September 8, 2025, and will remain in effect until December 7, 2026. During the suspension period, he will be allowed to return to training with the team from October 8, 2026, but will not be able to play in competitive matches until after December 8.

According to the rules of the suspension, all individual statistics, medals, points and prize money won by Asif between September 8 and December 29, 2025, have been annulled. As a result, his performances in his last three international T20 matches—against India, Oman and Pakistan in the 2025 T20 Asia Cup—will be permanently erased from his career's official record books.

Notably, since making his ODI debut for the UAE national team against Oman in March 2022, Asif Khan has played 38 ODIs and 56 T20 Internationals for the country.