Pakistan’s assertive wicketkeeper-batter Mohammed Rizwan took ‘prohibited substance’ before the T20 World Cup semifinal against Australia in November last year, revealed Pakistan Cricket Board’s doctor Najeebullah Soomro on Monday.

Before the semifinal, the right-handed batter was rushed to hospital after he suffered from a chest infection. He spent two nights in the ICU.

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As he insisted on playing the semifinal, the doctor released him and allowed him to play the improtant game. He finished as his team’s top scorer at 52-ball 67. However, his innings went vain as Australia defeated Pakistan and knocked them out of the tournament.

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Dr. Sainalabdeen, who treated Rizwan at the hospital, got permission from the International Cricket Council (ICC) before injecting the cricketer with the banned substance.

“You were unable to breathe and I have to get permission from the ICC to inject that medicine to help you recover. Usually, it is prohibited for the athletes but since there was no other option available, we have to take permission from the ICC to inject that medicine,” Dr Soomro was quoted as saying during an interview with Rizwan.

Rizwan is now plying his trade in the County Championship for Sussex along with Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara.

The 28-year-old cricketer is now the third highest run scorer in the league with 281 runs from six games at an average of 70.25 and a strike rate of 127.72. He also scored three fifties in the tournament with a top score of an unbeaten 66. Back in 2021, he also became the first batter to score over 2000 runs in T20s in a calendar year. Along with Babar Azam, he gave nightmares to plenty of opponents.

Rizwan was also named the ICC Men’s T20 Cricketer of the Year. Aggregating a staggering 1326 runs in only 29 matches, Rizwan struck at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 134.89.