Top 5 doping cases in cricket

2. Mohammad Asif (Pakistan)

Mohammad Asif

The tall fast bowler from Sheikhupura fell from grace after he was suspended, along with controversial speedster Shoaib Akhtar, by the PCB after both tested positive for nandrolone, a banned performance-enhancing drug, in October 2006. Both players were dropped from the Champions Trophy squad and were handed one-year and two-year suspensions, respectively in November. However, both were cleared by a tribunal and subsequently, their suspensions were revoked.

Controversy once again dogged Asif after he was detained in Dubai on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs; the charges were later dropped due to ‘insignificance’, as noted by Dubai prosecutors. He lost his contract with the Delhi Daredevils after once again testing positive for steroids, leading to a one-year ban from the Indian Premier League in 2009.

Since then, the maverick pacer’s personal reputation has been completely spoiled by his arrest and conviction for spot-fixing during the 2010 series in England. He has received a seven-year ban from all forms of cricket, and was released from an English jail last year. Making a comeback to the national side is still a long shot for Asif.