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United Arab Emirates (UAE) batter Asif Khan has been handed a 15-month period of ineligibility as he has failed a doping test conducted outside of a tournament. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on August 27, through an official press release, informed that the 36-year-old batter has failed the doping test as banned substances were found in his sample.
Cricketers across the globe are strictly prohibited from taking any kind of unsanctioned substances, as it can affect the individual's performance. ICC, in its official press release, informed that Asif Khan's sample turned positive in an out-of-competition test conducted on 8 September 2025.
UAE national cricket team batter Asif Khan has been banned by the ICC for testing positive in dope test
The batter himself actually admitted his offence; therefore, no hearings will be needed in this case. According to the ICC Anti Doping Code, the experienced UAE batter breached Article 2.1 and accepted his offence through a Case Resolution Agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The period of ineligibility is in immediate effect from September 8, 2025 and will run until December 7, 2026. From December 8, Asif will be eligible to train with a team, but will have to wait longer before returning to competitive games. He will be eligible to play competitive matches only from December 8.
In the period of ineligibility, none of Asif Khan's personal performance, such as batting and bowling stats, or any kind of achievements in professional cricket, will be counted.
Who is Asif Khan?
Asif is a 36-year-old United Arab Emirates batter who hails from Lahore. He is among the mainstays in the UAE national cricket team who have represented the team for years. So far, the right-hander has played for the national team 3in 8 matches in the One Day International format and scored 1270 runs for a batting average of 38.48. In the ODIs, the batter has registered three 100s and five half-centuries as well.
Asif has equally played well for the team in the T20 International format, when he has so far scored 1302 runs after batting in 56 innings, averaging 28.30 and with a strike rate of 137.92. In the T20Is, the batter has recorded four half-centuries and one century.
Asif Khan's professional cricket career in brief
Asif Khan's last recorded official match was last year in December when he featured for the Gulf Giants against the MI Emirates in an International League T20 match in Abu Dhabi. This year, he is yet to feature in an official match. He played multiple matches in the previous season of the ILT20 franchise league, but was not even close to his prime.
He is now well over 36, and by the time the ban is lifted, he will be 37, well past his best stage as a professional cricketer on the international stage. Asif's last official international match for the UAE was a T20I against Pakistan at Dubai on September 17, 2025.
