IND vs ENG, T20 World Cup: Ahmed Shehzad's Baseless Doping Claim Against India Sparks Controversy

Pakistani cricketer Ahmed Shehzad sparked controversy, claiming the BCCI blocks ICC dope tests on Indian players ahead of the T20 WC 2026 semifinal. Fans slammed him as India’s anti-doping is WADA-compliant via NADA, following global standards.

Out-of-favour Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad sparked a controversy over India’s anti-doping protocols ahead of the Men in Blue’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal clash against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5.

Team India, the defending champions of the tournament, advanced to the semifinal following a six-wicket win over West Indies in their must-win Super 8 clash, thanks to Sanju Samson’s match-winning 97-run knock, which helped the hosts to chase down the 196-run target with balls to spare in the final over. India and England are facing off for the third time in the T20 World Cup semifinal, having previously locked horns in the 2022 and 2024 knockouts.

As the Suryakumar Yadav-led Team set to take on England in the high-stakes semifinal clash, Ahmed Shehzad stirred controversy by making unverified claims of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not allow Indian cricketers to take doping tests conducted by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Shehzad’s Controversial Statement

Speaking on a Pakistani show, ‘Haarna Mana Hai’, alongside former Pakistan cricketers Mohammad Amir and Rashid Latif, Ahmed Shehzad claimed that the BCCI doesn’t allow ICC-appointed officials to conduct dope tests on Indian cricketers, insisting their own board handles all anti-doping procedures.

“ICC does the dope tests for the entire world except India. Their own board does it for them. Sir, they don’t give it to the ICC; they say we have our own board, which would determine<’ Out-of-favour Pakistan cricketer said.

“The Indians have said that we don’t trust any technology outside, we have good technology, so we would do the dope test for our own players," he added.

Throughout the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistani pundits have been making baseless predictions and claims, especially Mohammad Amir, who boldly said India wouldn’t reach the semifinals and drew criticism after India advanced to the final four after defeating West Indies in the final Super 8 fixture.

However, Ahmed Shehzad’s claim on India’s anti-doping practices remains unverified, with no official confirmation from either the BCCI or ICC supporting his statements.

Ahmed Shehzad Slammed for Baseless Claim

Former Pakistan cricketer Ahmed Shehzad’s controversial claim on India’s anti-doping protocols has drawn widespread criticism from cricket fans and enthusiasts, with many labelling it as baseless ahead of the semifinal clash against England.

Taking to their X handles (formerly Twitter), fans and cricket enthusiasts slammed Shehzad for his baseless claim, highlighting his past doping ban, mocking his conspiracy theories, and emphasizing that the ICC conducts dope tests for all member nations, while the domestic boards, including India’s, manage their own anti-doping protocols.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has enforced anti-doping rules in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code since 2006, to maintain clean sport. The ICC can conduct out-of-competition and in-competition testing for all member nations. The Indian cricketers are regularly tested under both ICC and BCCI protocols.

The BCCI conducts the doping tests on Indian players under the jurisdiction of the National Anti-Doping Agency, which it officially joined in 2019. Since NADA follows the WADA rules, Indian cricketers undergo the same strict anti-doping checks as players tested directly by the ICC.