Emirates Cricket Board suspend three players for social media outburst

Ahmed Raza (L) and Rohan Mustafa (R)

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) have suspended three players for eight weeks, including UAE captain skipper Rohan Mustafa, for allegedly violating Player s Code of Conduct and use of social media during the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Teams Asia Cup.

Mustafa, alongside Ahmed Raza and Rameez Shahzad were critical of poor facility in Karachi where they had to split points with Hong Kong in the final pool a game despite being in commanding position in the game, thus losing out on semi-final berth in the competition.

Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed it has completed a disciplinary investigation relating to an alleged violation of its Player s Code of Conduct, and use of Social Media following a recent incident during the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Teams Asia Cup, an ECB release stated

ECB concluded that 3 players; Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza and Rameez Shahzad, had violated its Code of Conduct and requirements for the use of Social Media. As a result, each of the players have been suspended from International Cricket for a period of 8 weeks, fined and warned about their future conduct, added the release.

UAE had reduced Hong Kong to 87 for 4 in 31 overs before the rain stopped play for half an hour, but the the rain water seeped in underneath the covers on to the pitch and umpires had to call off the game.

Mustafa wrote in a tweet, I am really sorry to say but we are out because of poor facility at the ground, while Raza said there were club-level covers at the so called Test venue".

Rameez wrote: Never mind the security but there are more reasons to why international cricket has overlooked this part of the world when it comes to international cricket.

The trio then deleted their respective tweets and sent apology tweets.

As captain of [UAE] I would like to apologise to everyone in Pakistan for our frustrated tweets after yesterday's match, Mustafa wrote.