Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have confirmed that Pakistani cricket player Haider Ali has been cleared in a rape case. The authorities said there was not enough evidence to support the accusations made by a British-Pakistani woman. The case against the 24-year-old batter is now closed.
Haider Ali, represented by Barrister Moeen Khan, was arrested on August 4, 2025, after the woman reported an incident at a hotel in Manchester. She said she met Ali at the hotel on July 23, 2025, and again on August 1 in Ashford, which is four hours away by train. She filed her complaint four days later.
During his police interview, Haider Ali denied the accusation. He said he knew the woman as a friend, and he was shocked by the claim. After the investigation finished, Ali was allowed to get his passport back and is free to leave the UK.
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨
Pakistan cricket star Haider Ali cleared in Manchester rape case. Watch pic.twitter.com/zd3D0uWnRX
— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) September 3, 2025
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) suspended Ali during the investigation. His arrest happened at the Spitfire County Cricket Ground in Kent, where police took him from the players’ canteen to the police station in Canterbury.
Haider Ali has played 35 T20 international matches for Pakistan since 2020, and two one-day international matches. With this case resolved, he can focus again on his cricket career.
The case got a lot of attention because Ali is an international athlete. The result highlights the importance of evidence in legal cases, potentially leading to discussions on how athletes should behave.