ECB suspends 3 UAE players for violating 'players' code of conduct'

The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has handed over an eight-week suspension from international cricket to three UAE players, who were a part of the 2018 Emerging Teams Asia Cup, for violating the 'Player's Code of Conduct' and requirements for the use of social media.

The three players, Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza and Rameez Shahzad, had criticised the ground facilities in Karachi during the tournament on their respective Twitter handles. The tweets, however, were later deleted, ESPNcricinfo reported.

"Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has today 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 official ECB statement said.

"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 has been suspended from International Cricket for a period of 8 weeks, fined and warned about their future conduct," the statement added.

During the Group B match of the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, UAE had restricted Hong Kong to 87 runs for 4 in 31 overs at the Southend Stadium in Karachi before the rain interrupted the play. The ground staff could not manage to get the field ready post rain due to which the match was abandoned. The two teams shared the points but if UAE had won, it would have boosted their chances of making it to the semi-final of the event.

The 2018 Emerging Teams Asia Cup was played between December 6 to 15 in Pakistan and Sri Lanka.