Pakistani cricketer Haider Ali has been granted bail after being arrested over a rape allegation in Manchester, where he is under investigation by the Greater Manchester Police. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has provisionally suspended Ali while the criminal investigation is ongoing.
Pakistan’s international cricketer Haider Ali has been arrested in Manchester following a rape allegation made by a British Pakistani woman. The incident, which allegedly occurred at a hotel on July 23, 2025, has led to a police investigation. Greater Manchester Police confirmed that Ali, 24, was arrested on August 4, 2025, following the report of the alleged rape.
Ali has since been granted bail while the investigation continues. In his police interview, the cricketer denied the allegations, stating that he and the accuser were friends and that their meeting at the hotel was consensual. His family also supported this account, stating that they were well-acquainted before the incident.
The arrest took place at the Spitfire County Cricket Ground in Kent, where Ali was part of a cricketing engagement. He was taken into custody without handcuffs and later transported to Canterbury Police Station.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken swift action in response to the allegation, placing Ali under provisional suspension until the investigation is complete. The PCB issued a statement expressing respect for the UK’s legal process and confirming that they would assess the situation once all facts were established. The board emphasized that further action would be taken if necessary, depending on the outcome of the legal proceedings.
Haider Ali has been an active member of Pakistan’s national cricket team since his debut in 2020, playing 35 Twenty20 internationals and two one-day internationals. His future with the team will depend on the investigation’s results.
