Pakistan star Mohammad Rizwan had to use a prohibited substance before taking the field against Australia in last year’s T20 World Cup. The sensational news has been revealed by none other than Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Doctor Najeebullah Soomro. The tournament was held in the UAE last year. As far as Pakistan’s journey in the tournament is concerned, they crashed out at the semifinal stage after losing to eventual winners Australia.
Pakistan had started their tournament with a bang by thrashing arch-rivals India by 10 wickets. Rizwan had starred with the bat in that match, scoring an unbeaten 79 as Pakistan chased down 152 without losing any wicket. Overall, Rizwan had a good tournament with the bat. The wicketkeeper-batsman had finished the competition as the third-highest run-scorer behind compatriot Babar Azam and David Warner. Rizwan had scored 281 runs in 6 outings at an average of more than 70.
Mohammad Rizwan used prohibited substances:
In a sensational interview with Mohammad Rizwan, Dr. Soomro revealed that he had no other option but to treat the cricket star with a prohibited substance. Prior to the semifinal clash against Australia, Rizwan had to spend two nights in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital due to a severe chest infection. Despite the health issue, Rizwan had scored a fighting fifty in the semifinal. The right-handed batsman had slammed 67 off 52 balls.
“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 said while conducting an interview with Rizwan.
Dr. Soomro revealed that the prohibited substance taken by Rizwan was later cleared by the ICC. Pakistan’s team management had sought prior permission from the authorities before giving the substance to Rizwan. Dr. Soomro revealed that Rizwan was unable to breathe. The substance that he wanted to treat Rizwan with was prohibited by the governing body. However, there was no alternative for that substance and Dr. Soomro approached the ICC before getting the green light.