Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been caught in a storm after being tested positive for recreational drug use. Nawaz tested positive during the T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. The PCB are launching an investigation, with the 32-year-old's deal with Surrey also falling through as a result.
As per ESPNCricinfo, Mohammad Nawaz was all set to join Surrey for the T20 Blast after his commitments in the PSL 2026. The PCB had also granted him an NOC. However, a return of a positive test from the T20 World Cup has seen that move fall through.
Mohammad Nawaz tests positive for recreational drug use
The report states that Nawaz's doping test dates back to the ICC T20 World CUp 2026 played in India and Sri Lanka earlier this year. Nawaz was part of the Pakistan squad led by Salman Agha which crashed out in the Super Eight stages. Nawaz was ever present and even featured in the India vs Pakistan game at Colombo on February 15. He scored just 15 runs and took 7 wickets during the tournament.
What is recreational drug use?
Recreational drug use refers to the consumption of substances for leisure, social, or personal reasons rather than for medical treatment or performance enhancement. In sport, this distinction matters because such substances may not directly improve performance but are still prohibited under anti-doping regulations. Governing bodies like the International Cricket Council and the Pakistan Cricket Board classify certain recreational drugs under banned categories, meaning players can face sanctions even if there was no intent to gain a competitive advantage.
