New Delhi: Afghanistan cricket team stalwart Mohammad Shahzad was provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after being charged with doping violations on April 13.
The 29-year-old wicket-keeper batsman, who has earned himself the nickname of 'Afghani Dhoni' for his explosive style of batting, tested positive test in an out-of-competition test conducted on January 17 at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
“The ICC today announced that Afghanistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad has been charged with an anti-doping rule violation under the ICC Anti-Doping Code,” ICC issued a statement after handing Shahzad a provisional suspension.
“The sample analysed at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Salt Lake City, was found to contain the presence of Clenbuterol, a prohibited substance,” the statement further read.
With the suspension set to keep the batsman out of on-field action, fans have started campaign on Twitter #ForgiveMS pleading the board to revoke the suspension.
As a gesture of gudwill, I thnk v can 4give @MShahzad077 4 th unintentional doping violation, don’t u think @ICC?#ForgiveMS #ReducePenalty
— Ihsanullah Shagiwal (@IShagiwal) July 4, 2017
Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.@MShahzad077 for doping violation, don’t you think @ICC?#ForgiveMS
— Wahid Sayad (@StarSayad) July 4, 2017
As a final gesture of goodwill, I think we can forgive @MShahzad077 for doping violation, don’t you think @ICC?#ForgiveMS #ReducePenalt pic.twitter.com/08yfihINfW
— Dilawar (@DilawarJan007) July 4, 2017
Dear @ICC, please , as a gesture of goodwill, forgive or reduce @MShahzad077 penalty for the doping violation.#ForgiveMS #ReducePenalty
— Javed Hamim Kakar (@HM_Kakar) July 4, 2017
Dear @ICC , please kindly, as a gesture of goodwill, forgive or reduce @MShahzad077 penalty for the doping violation.#ForgiveMS pic.twitter.com/iqjTXZVC2d
— Mohammad Aslam (@Aslamwatanpal) July 4, 2017
As a final gesture of goodwill, I think we can forgive @MShahzad077 for doping violation, don’t you think @ICC?.#ForgiveMS #ReducePenalty
— Hafiz Hamim (@HJalalzai) July 4, 2017
Dear @ICC, please kindly, as a gesture of goodwill, forgive or reduce @MShahzad077 penalty for the doping violation.#ForgiveMS
— احمدسعيد (@ahmedsaeed10441) July 4, 2017
Shahzad has so far played 59 ODIs, scoring 1937 runs in and 57 T20Is, scoring 1703 runs for Afghanistan cricket team.