Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has accepted a three-month ban for breaching the ICC Anti-Doping Code after testing positive for Carboxy-THC, a cannabis metabolite classified as a "Substance of Abuse". The International Cricket Council confirmed the sanction on 17 July, adding that the suspension was backdated to 1 May 2026, when Nawaz voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension.
The ICC also confirmed that Nawaz's period of ineligibility can effectively be reduced to one month if he successfully completes an approved substance abuse treatment programme. Because he has already served around two and a half months under provisional suspension, the governing body has lifted that suspension, subject to the conditions outlined in its ruling. His match records from Pakistan's T20 World Cup fixture against the Netherlands on 7 February through to 1 May have been disqualified in accordance with the ICC Anti-Doping Code.
What Led To This Decision
The case stems from a routine anti-doping test conducted after Pakistan's opening match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 against the Netherlands in Colombo on 7 February. The sample returned an adverse analytical finding for Carboxy-THC, a metabolite associated with cannabis use. Under the ICC Anti-Doping Code, Carboxy-THC is categorised as a Substance of Abuse rather than a performance-enhancing drug, meaning sanctions can differ depending on the circumstances surrounding its use.
According to the ICC, Nawaz admitted the anti-doping rule violation and demonstrated that the substance had been consumed out of competition and in a manner unrelated to sporting performance. Those findings proved significant because the Code allows reduced sanctions where an athlete establishes that a Substance of Abuse was not used to gain a competitive advantage and agrees to complete an approved rehabilitation programme.
The investigation had remained largely out of public view after Nawaz entered a voluntary provisional suspension on 1 May. Earlier reports indicated the Pakistan Cricket Board had begun its own internal process after being informed by the ICC, while Nawaz's proposed county stint with Surrey did not proceed as the matter was being resolved. Friday's announcement brought that process to a formal conclusion.
"Nawaz admitted the offence and demonstrated that the substance had been used out-of-competition and in a manner unrelated to sport performance."
— ICC media release.
Reaction To The ICC's Decision
The ICC's announcement clarified the legal and regulatory basis for the sanction but did not include a personal statement from Mohammad Nawaz or the Pakistan Cricket Board immediately after the ruling. The governing body instead outlined how the case had been resolved under the ICC Anti-Doping Code, noting that Nawaz accepted responsibility and cooperated with the process. ESPNcricinfo also reported that the sanction was agreed after the player established the substance had been taken outside competition and was unrelated to enhancing sporting performance.
Anti-doping cases involving substances of abuse are handled differently from cases involving performance-enhancing drugs. The World Anti-Doping Code, adopted by the ICC, allows for reduced sanctions where athletes can prove recreational use occurred out of competition and complete an approved treatment programme. That distinction formed the basis of Nawaz's reduced period of ineligibility, rather than a longer suspension that may apply in other anti-doping violations.
The case also carries statistical consequences. Under ICC regulations, Nawaz's individual results from Pakistan's World Cup matches between 7 February and 1 May 2026 have been disqualified, although the sanction does not alter Pakistan's team results from those fixtures. Similar provisions have been applied in previous international anti-doping cases across cricket, where the player's personal records are affected without changing completed match outcomes.
STATS
What Happens Next
With the provisional suspension already covering most of the three-month period, Nawaz is expected to become available for selection once he satisfies the remaining conditions set out by the ICC, including completion of the required treatment programme. The ICC has not announced any further disciplinary proceedings, indicating that the case has been resolved under the existing Anti-Doping Code.
For Pakistan, the focus now shifts back to cricketing matters as selectors prepare for upcoming international assignments. Nawaz remains an experienced white-ball all-rounder with more than 200 international appearances across formats, and his availability will depend on meeting the ICC's reinstatement requirements rather than any further disciplinary review. The ICC's ruling also serves as another reminder that anti-doping cases involving substances of abuse are assessed under specific provisions that distinguish recreational use from attempts to enhance sporting performance, provided the relevant criteria are met.