Pakistan drops Haider Ali from squad for PSL bubble breach

Haider and his Peshawar Zalmi teammate Umaid Asif admitted to meeting people from outside their designated bio-secure bubble and flouting social distancing norms. Haider was also suspended from the PSL final.

Pakistan's Haider Ali was suspended from PSL Final against Multan Sultans for breaking COVID-19 protocols.

Pakistan has dropped Haider Ali from its tour of England and West Indies after the batsman and his Peshawar Zalmi teammate Umaid Asif broke COVID-19 protocols in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Abu Dhabi, the cricket board said on Thursday.

Both have been suspended from the PSL final against Multan Sultans later on Thursday after admitting to meeting people from outside their designated bio-secure bubble and flouting social distancing norms on Wednesday.

READ: Peshawar beats Islamabad, qualifies for fourth PSL final

"The two cricketers were found not to have interacted with any other squad members at any time after the incident and have been placed in room isolation," the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in a statement.

Sohaib Maqsood, who last played for Pakistan in a T20 match in New Zealand more than five years ago, will replace Haider in the squad.

Pakistan will leave for England on Friday to play three one-day and an equal number of T20 matches there.

Babar Azam's side will leave for Manchester on Friday to play three one-dayers and three T20 matches in England.

From there, the team will fly to West Indies to play five T20 matches and two test matches.