UAE suspend opening batsman Ashfaq Ahmed in anti-corruption probe

Ashfaq played first two matches of the T20 World Cup Qualifier in UAE

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - October 14, 2019: The UAE's Ashfaq Ahmed hits out during the ICC Mens T20 World cup qualifier warm up game between the UAE and Scotland. Monday the 14th of October 2019. International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that opening batsman Ashfaq Ahmed has been suspended with immediate effect, in a further blow to the team in the ongoing anti-corruption probe.

Before the start of the T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE, three national team players - Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar and Qadeer Ahmed - were charged with 13 counts of breaching anti-corruption rules by the International Cricket Council (ICC), and suspended with immediate effect.

Now a fourth player has been named, with the ECB stating that Ashfaq has been provisionally suspended even though formal charges have not been laid against the player.

"Further to the ongoing investigations led by the ICC anti-corruption unit, Emirates Cricket Board has today provisionally suspended Ashfaq Ahmed with immediate effect. No formal charges have been laid against the player, and the board will wait for the conclusion of proceedings before making any further comment," the board said in a statement.

Ashfaq played the first two matches of the T20 World Cup Qualifier, getting out for single digit scores against Oman and Ireland. He was the top performer for the UAE during their recent 4-0 T20 series win in the Netherlands, hitting three fifties in four matches.

On Monday, UAE beat Hong Kong by eight wickets with Ashfaq not a part of the playing XI.