Pakistan cricket just can’t seem to escape controversy. The latest storm centers on Mohammad Rizwan. After the second Test, the former captain found himself out of the squad and on a flight home with Imam-ul-Haq also sent back.
Not long after, news broke that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had taken both players’ phones. Suddenly, Rizwan and Imam were under investigation by the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Now, it’s come to light that Rizwan stands accused of gambling and betting—a bombshell in the cricket world. He’s not staying quiet, though. Rizwan says he hasn’t received any details about the accusations. He’s also questioning why these serious allegations weren’t reported to the ICC’s anti-corruption unit. In his words to SAMAA TV, ‘I’ve always given my best for Pakistan cricket. I deserve to know exactly what I’m being accused of so I can answer properly. Even more confusing, the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit isn’t involved. Why’s the NCCIA looking into this in the first place?’
Now, the same report says Rizwan has reached out directly to the ICC to ask if they know what’s going on and to get some advice.
Meanwhile, things didn’t go Rizwan’s way in court. The Lahore High Court quickly shot down his petition against the NCCIA which he said had no right to run this investigation. According to the documents, Rizwan was summoned to his London hotel lobby at 1 a.m. grilled by officials without first receiving a formal notice and had his phone seized—again, with no explanation or legal order. They told him he’d get his phone back in three hours. He’s still waiting.
A few days ago, Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq showed up at the NCCIA offices in Lahore because of allegations that team secrets were being leaked from the dressing room. Imam finished answering the questionnaire they gave him, but Rizwan decided he’d rather fight the issue in court.
All this drama kicked off after Pakistan’s rough tour in England. They got swept 0-3—a first for them on English soil. The PCB didn’t waste time; after the second Test loss, they sent Rizwan, Imam, and five other players back home.
There’s more. Right after sending the players home, the PCB handed over the phones of Rizwan, Imam, and five other members of the squad to the authorities.
According to The News International, the NCCIA also started digging into financial matters. Investigators looked at the players’ bank transactions before and during the Test series. They’re closely checking account details too. If they find anything suspicious in those transactions, they plan to track down the source of the money.