Twitter Reactions: ICC suspends Yasir Shah

Pakistan leg spinning sensation, Yasir Shah, has been provisionally suspended by the ICC after a random dope test conducted in November concluded that the Pakistani leg-spinner had taken a prohibited substance.

The test was conducted on 13 November 2015 and it was found that his samples contained the presence of chlortalidone, a prohibited substance which is listed in Section 5 of the World Anti-Doping Agency list (in the category of Specified Substances). As a result, he was suspended in accordance with the ICC Anti-Doping Code. This suspension means that he cannot play or be involved in any international matches or games organized by any international cricket board or its affiliated members.

Yasir Shah, however, has two options to challenge this ruling. He can request for his B sample to be tested and if that test does not confirm a positive result then the entire test will be considered negative and the suspension will be lifted with immediate effect.

He can also request for a hearing before an anti-doping tribunal through a written application that must be received by the anti-doping manager within 14 days. Should he want a hearing, Yasir must state in his application how he responds to the charge and his explanation for the same. On 12th November, a day before he was tested, Shah had fallen down while bowling in the nets in his follow through and had to miss the first Test against England in Abu Dhabi with a back problem.

People on Twitter, like always, had their opinions and reaction to the surprising news, here are the Twitter Reactions:

Finally world's best leggie paid the price for taking way too many wickets #YasirShah

— zulfiqar haider (@zulfiqar248) December 27, 2015

Chlortalidone is not a performance-enhancing drug. But diuretics like it are commonly used to mask PEDs. Warne was done for the same thing.

— Dileep Premachandran (@SpiceBoxofEarth) December 27, 2015

Yasir Shah shouldn't have followed all of Shane Warne's tips to improve his performance.

— Abbas Nasir (@abbasnasir59) December 27, 2015

Apparently ICC couldn't find a fault with Yasir Shah's bowling action… So there goes that trend with ICC and Pakistani spin bowlers

— Sadaf Sagheer (@sadafsagher) December 27, 2015

Yasir Shah suspended for chlorthidone in hs blood test; which is a "diuretic" used in High BP. PCB must challenge suspension imposed by @ICC

— R.N.Yousuf (@RNYousuf) December 27, 2015

Yasir Shah & the Pakistan Cricket Board now have 7 days to confirm to the ICC if they want his ‘B’ sample to be tested #Cricket

— fazal rehman (@fazalrehmanbutt) December 27, 2015

If Yasir Shah B sample comes back positive. He will be imposed with a lengthy ban one would assume. Hence Pakistan need to find a new bowler

— ??Riz007???? (@riz007_007) December 27, 2015

https://twitter.com/AnmolAleena/status/681086225105731585

Where was team management then?
It was management's job to guide and keep a check on Yasir Shah

— Armaghan Ahmed (@thisisArmaghan) December 27, 2015

https://twitter.com/BBL_O5/status/681085878714920961

Yasir Shah, why u did so well recently that u were hand picked by ICC for ………

— Muhammad Qasim (@QasimBurhan) December 27, 2015

ICC on Fire !
Yasir Shah pic.twitter.com/FZDyoHfKZA

— Wahab Saba (@WahabSaba9) December 27, 2015

A 29 yr old sportsman taking a drug, especially an obscure one, for high blood pressure isn't a believable scenario. #YasirShah @TheRealPCB

— Kamran Abbasi (@KamranAbbasi) December 27, 2015

Yasir Shah
Chlortalidone is not heroine,cocaine or performance enhancing drug medicine that is used to treat high BP pic.twitter.com/rnfYRAduoO

— ‍ زی پیر (@pirsaab) December 27, 2015

So, chlortalidone isn't performance enhancement drug but masking agent to prevent detection of PED. 4 years if intention to cheat proved.

— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) December 27, 2015

Disappointed to hear about the provisional suspension of Yasir Shah by ICC from international cricket..! #ShahBanned

— Khann Ahmad Hilal (@K_AhmadHilal) December 27, 2015