United Arab Emirates (UAE) cricketer Mohammad Zohaib has been repatriated from the 2026 ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed this information on Monday.

Zohaib was brought back to Dubai due to a breach of team discipline, the ECB said. The board also said that detailed information about the matter will be released at the appropriate time. However, Zohaib alleged that his national identity played a role in this decision. He claims that the team management is entirely of Indian origin and he has been removed from the team because he is a Pakistani. He demanded a formal inquiry from the ECB.

The incident came just before UAE’s crucial Twenty20 World Cup matches, raising questions about team selection and internal management. Led by star batsman Mohammad Wasim, UAE will begin their 2026 World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Chennai on Tuesday.

The squad features a number of experienced players, including Alishan Sharafu, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddiqui and Rohid Khan. UAE qualified for the main 20-team tournament by defeating Japan in the Super Six round of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia and East Asia-Pacific (EAP) Qualifiers held in Oman.

Meanwhile, Zohaib has been accused of drinking and disorderly conduct. It is alleged that he was drinking alcohol, being intimate with women during the World Cup.