Mohammed Zohaib, a batter from the UAE, has been sent home from the T20 World Cup tournament due to a breach of team discipline. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) announced this decision on Monday and stated that more details about the incident will be shared later.
Following the announcement, Zohaib made serious allegations against the team management. He claimed he was removed from the team based on his nationality rather than any disciplinary reasons. Zohaib highlighted that the UAE team management is predominantly Indian, while he is from Pakistan, which he believes led to his sudden departure.
Zohaib firmly denies any wrongdoing and is requesting an official investigation. He expressed that he feels wronged and is seeking clarification for the harsh penalties imposed on him without proper explanation.
Zohaib Joins Others Questioning India’s Influence
Mohammed Zohaib is the latest player to voice concerns about India’s role in global cricket. Earlier this year, Bangladesh’s Mustafizur Rahman faced issues during the IPL mini auction. Although KKR picked him, they later released him amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board was upset about this decision, viewing it as unfair. They even hinted at a potential boycott of the T20 World Cup. There are widespread beliefs that India influenced events to eliminate Bangladesh from the tournament.
Pakistan’s cricket board supported Bangladesh, accusing India of favoritism. Pakistan announced they would skip their T20 match against India, with PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi accusing India of bullying tactics.
UAE Prepares for T20 World Cup Amid Controversies
Despite ongoing controversies, the UAE is set to kick off their T20 World Cup campaign against New Zealand. This tournament marks the UAE’s third appearance, and they aim to progress beyond the group stage for the first time.
UAE’s preparations have been challenging, highlighted by a significant loss against Italy in a warm-up match. Italy scored 193 runs while UAE collapsed for just 91 runs before being all out.
Following their match with New Zealand, the UAE will travel to Delhi for games against Canada, Afghanistan, and South Africa. The team acknowledges they will be underdogs against New Zealand but is optimistic about competing with Canada and Afghanistan.
UAE Squad Update After Zohaib’s Departure
The updated squad includes: Muhammad Waseem (c), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Rohid Khan, Sohaib Khan, and Simranjeet Singh.
