Pakistan cricketer Haider Ali has been declared not guilty and cleared of wrongdoing in an alleged rape case in the UK, after Greater Manchester Police confirmed to Pakistan news agency Geo News that there was not enough evidence to carry forward the case.
Ali was arrested at the Spitfire County Ground in Kent in early August, after a report made to the Greater Manchester Police which alleged sexual assault by the 24-year-old batter. Ali was then provisionally suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board and detained in the UK, but is set to be released by the GMP and the UK’s Crown Prosecution Services (CPS) due to a lack of proof.
Ali was held under investigation after a British-Pakistani woman had filed a report which accused him of assault in a Manchester hotel while the cricketer was in the country following a Pakistan Shaheens tour in mid-July. Reportedly, the pair had originally met in Manchester on July 23, the date of the incident. They had met again on August 1 in nearby Ashford, and the report was filed on August 4, with the arrest in Kent taking place on the same day.
The batter cooperated with the police investigation while remaining in the country, denying any claims of wrongdoing and stating that he knew the woman who had made the report. After the original arrest, Ali was released on bail, but remained in the UK during the procedure.
PCB yet to release official statement
Ali was represented by criminal law Barrister Moeen Khan during the proceedings, after the PCB had released a statement confirming Ali “received appropriate legal support to protect his rights throughout this process” in accordance with the board’s player welfare and code of conduct.
Police informed Geo News that Haider Ali had been cleared to leave the UK following the dropping of charges, having already reclaimed his passport from authorities after the decision had been made.
The PCB are yet to release a statement on the matter. Ali represented Pakistan in international cricket with 35 T20I appearances, the last of which came during the Asian Games in late 2023 in China, as well as a couple of ODI appearances.