Gujarat Titans star banned for 12 months from ILT20

Afghanistan and Gujarat Titans (GT) spinner Noor Ahmad has been banned from the International League T20 (ILT20) for 12 months after he was found guilty of breaching the contract. The young spinner didn’t sign the extension of the contract with his franchise Sharjah Warriors.

Noor Ahmad represented the Sharjah Warriors in one season of ILT20 during the tenure (January-February 2023) and was decent with the ball. The youngster was offered retention on the same terms and conditions in accordance with the Player Agreement terms ahead of Season 2. However, the leg-spinner declined, leading to a breach of the Player Agreement with the franchise.

After Noor Ahmad declined another year’s extension by the Warriors, the franchise approached the ILT20 and the league intervened in this dispute. The matter was then taken in charge by the three-member Disciplinary Committee which includes the league’s Chief Executive Officer David White, Head of Security and Anti-Corruption Col. Azam and Member Emirates Cricket Board Zayed Abbas.

The committee while investigating the matter heard to both Noor Ahmad and Sharjah Warriors. After much discussion, ILT20’s three-member Disciplinary Committee decided to ban the Afghanistan spinner for a period of 12 months. They also considered a 20-month ban but didn’t proceed with it.

The committee then took into consideration that Noor Ahmad was a minor at the time of signing the Player Agreement. The leg-spinner has informed the ILT20’s committee that he was not informed by his agent about the full terms of the contract.

The ILT20 released the official statement, stating:

“The International League T20 has banned spinner Noor Ahmad for 12 months for breaching his Player Agreement with Sharjah Warriors who had signed him for Season 1 of the tournament. Noor was offered another year’s extension by the Warriors but refused to sign the retention notice for Season 2. 

“Noor played for Sharjah Warriors in Season 1 of the ILT20 (January-February 2023) who sent him a retention notice on the same terms and conditions in accordance with the Player Agreement terms ahead of Season 2. Following Noor’s refusal, the Sharjah Warriors approached the ILT20 to intervene in this dispute.”

Noor Ahmad will be playing a crucial role for the team in the IPL as well. He will be a vital cog in the wheel for the league. The leg-spinner in 82 T20 matches has taken 87 wickets at an average of 24.93 and an economy of 7.27.

ILT20 bans Naveen-ul-Haq for 20 months in the league

Recently Naveen-ul-Haq was also banned byILT20 due to breach of contract. He was handed a 20-month ban. The pacer also represented Sharjah Warriors. He played 9 matches in the league and picked 11 wickets at an average of 24.36.

Naveen-ul-Haq faced a similar sort of breach of conduct which Noor Ahmad did. Sharjah Warriors wanted to retain him for another year on the same conditions but he turned down their offer and was banned from the league for a long period of 20 months.

ILT20 CEO David White while talking about the Naveen-ul-Haq’s ban and stated: “All the players and franchise are expected to follow the rules and regulations. Naveen-ul-Haq failed to honour the terms and conditions of his contract with the Sharjah Warriors and hence the league has banned him for 20 months.”