Naveen-ul-Haq, the fast bowler from Afghanistan, faced a significant setback as he was imposed a 20-month suspension from the International League T20. This decision came as a consequence of his failure to adhere to the terms of his Player Agreement with the Sharjah Warriors.
Initially, Naveen had committed to the Warriors for the inaugural season of the league. He was presented with the opportunity to extend his contract for another year but refused to sign the retention notice for the second season.
The Sharjah Warriors, in response to this contractual issue, sought intervention from the ILT20. The league then embarked on a mediation effort, employing an independent third-party mediator, but this attempt did not yield a resolution.
The disciplinary matter was subsequently escalated to the ILT20's three-person Disciplinary Committee, which includes league CEO David White, Head of Security and Anti-Corruption Col. Azam, and Zayed Abbas from the Emirates Cricket Board. After a thorough review of the evidence and hearing both sides, the committee reached its conclusion to impose a 20-month ban on Naveen.
David White, the CEO of DP World ILT20, remarked in a statement, "We do not take pride in making this announcement but all parties are expected to comply with their contractual commitments and recognize that non-compliance can cause damage to the other party."
White further explained the gravity of the situation, stating, "Unfortunately, Naveen-ul-Haq failed to honor his contractual obligations with the Sharjah Warriors and as such the league had no option but to impose this 20-month ban on him."
He also emphasized that the disciplinary process against Naveen was executed with full transparency, ensuring that both parties involved had ample opportunity to prepare and present their arguments.
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(With PTI inputs)