UAE opening batsman Mohammad Zohaib has been sent back to Dubai during the ICC T20 World Cup after being part of the squad for matches in India, Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed.
According to the ECB, Zohaib was removed from the squad due to disciplinary violations. The board said further details would be provided at an appropriate time but declined to comment further for now.
Zohaib, however, rejected the allegations, accusing the team management of unfair treatment. He claimed that certain members of the coaching staff, who are of Indian origin, sidelined him due to his Pakistani background.
He alleged that the management pressured him to claim an injury to facilitate his removal from the squad and threatened his future career when he refused. Zohaib further said he was later instructed to return to Dubai citing his mother’s health, without a clear reason being provided.
In a statement issued from the Indian airport, Mohammad Zohaib demanded a formal investigation by the Emirates Cricket Board and the ICC into the matter. The ECB has yet to respond to these specific allegations.
