Pakistan cricketer Haider Ali has been cleared of rape allegations in the United Kingdom, according to Geo News. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) confirmed that insufficient evidence existed to continue the investigation, resulting in the formal closure of the case.
The 24-year-old was arrested on August 4 at the Spitfire County Cricket Ground in Kent following allegations of assault by a British-Pakistani woman. She stated that they first met at a Manchester hotel on July 23, where the alleged incident occurred, and again in Ashford on August 1, before filing her complaint.
Haider Ali Cleared of Rape Allegations in the United Kingdom
Haider Ali denied the allegations, describing the woman as a friend and calling the claims “shocking” and “false.” He fully cooperated with authorities during the investigation and was released on bail.
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After weeks of inquiry, UK authorities cleared the 24-year-old cricketer, citing insufficient evidence to proceed. The case was further weakened by evidence suggesting the hotel encounter was consensual and by delays in filing the complaint.
Haider Ali has had his passport returned and is now free to travel. He was arrested on August 4 while touring with the Pakistan Shaheens and taken into custody from the Spitfire County Cricket Ground in Kent before being taken to Canterbury Police Station.
Haider Ali, One of Pakistan’s Promising White-Ball Cricketers
Haider Ali, born in October 2000 in Attock, was considered one of Pakistan’s bright white-ball talents. He made his international debut in 2020, featuring in 35 T20Is and two ODIs, with his latest outing at the 2023 Asian Games in China.
In T20Is, Ali has scored 505 runs at an average of 17.41 and a strike rate of 124.69, including three half-centuries. In ODIs, he has 42 runs from two matches at an average of 21.
Ali also served as vice-captain of Pakistan’s U19 side during the 2020 ICC U19 World Cup, finishing as the team’s third-highest scorer with 107 runs in five games.
At the domestic level, he has represented Peshawar Zalmi, Karachi Kings, and Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League and was part of Pakistan’s squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not yet commented on his recent legal matters.
Pakistan Competing in Tri-Nation Series Against UAE and Afghanistan
Pakistan is currently participating in a tri-nation series against the UAE and Afghanistan as part of their preparations for the 2025 Asia Cup. They have won two of their first three matches so far.
The 17th Asia Cup will take place in the UAE from September 9 to 28 in the T20 format. The tournament is especially significant ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, which India and Sri Lanka will co-host.
Group A consists of India, Pakistan, Oman, and the UAE, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong. The top two teams from each group will progress to the Super Four stage, where each team plays the others once.
The two sides from the Super Four will clash in the final in Dubai. India entered the tournament as defending champions and remains the most successful team with eight titles.
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