Cricketer denies accusation, maintains that he had a prior friendship with complainant while his family says he told police that meeting at hotel was consensual
LONDON: The Greater Manchester Police has extended the bail of Pakistani cricketer Haider Ali for another two weeks in connection with a rape allegation lodged by a British-Pakistani woman.
The batter was due to appear before investigators on August 20, 2025. However, police have asked him to return in two weeks while inquiries into the case remain ongoing.
Authorities confirmed that Ali, 24, had been arrested earlier this month after a complaint was filed on August 4, alleging that the incident took place at a Manchester hotel on July 23. “The man has since been released on bail while investigations continue. The complainant is being supported by specialist officers,” the Greater Manchester Police said.
During questioning, Ali denied the accusation, maintaining that he had a prior friendship with the complainant while his family said that he told police that the meeting at the hotel was consensual.
The cricketer was taken into custody at the Spitfire County Cricket Ground in Kent, where officers arrested him from the players’ dining area before transferring him to Canterbury Police Station for questioning.
Following the arrest, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that Ali has been provisionally suspended pending the outcome of the legal process. *“The PCB respects the judicial system in the United Kingdom and believes it is necessary to let the investigation take its course. Haider Ali has therefore been placed under immediate suspension, and further action will be taken if required once the proceedings conclude,” the board said in a statement.
Haider Ali, who made his international debut in 2020, has represented Pakistan in 35 T20 internationals and two ODIs.
