Mohammad Rizwan, senior Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter, finally broke his silence on being probed by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), saying he is just waiting for the investigation to get over. The 34-year-old also hinted that he could very well address the media once the inquiry is complete. According to Samaa.TV, the ongoing investigation against Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq concerns allegations of leaking information from Pakistan’s dressing room, as well as matters related to the team’s recent tour of England.
Rizwan and Imam were among the seven players who were ordered to go back to Pakistan by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after the loss in the second Test at Lord’s. Rizwan’s performance in the opening two Tests left much to be desired, with the right-hander returning with 61 runs in four innings.
The agency is also conducting a thorough search of the mobile phone data of both players. Rizwan and Imam had previously appeared before the NCCIA in Lahore, where they were questioned for around two hours over the alleged dressing-room leaks and issues connected to the England tour.
“I am fully cooperating with the investigation. I am waiting for the investigation to be completed,” Rizwan told Samaa.TV.
Earlier, a Geo News report stated that the agency was reviewing the financial transactions of both players and that a search was underway for any possible wrongdoing.
PCB scanner
Earlier, after the PCB sent the seven players back home from England, a show-cause notice was issued to the selection committee, asking why Rizwan and Imam were selected for Pakistan’s Test squads for the tours of the West Indies and England.
Rizwan’s returns were middling in the West Indies as well, after he aggregated just 41 runs in the two Tests, with his highest score being 18, which came in the second Test. However, the right-hander’s record was exemplary before the Windies tour, as he had been Pakistan’s highest scorer since January 2024.
After Rizwan was sent back home from England, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi had defended the decision to replace seven players, saying, “We have had a discussion to ascertain the reasons behind it. They include factors beyond performance, and we will get to the bottom of it.”
Speaking of the Pakistan Test team, the side suffered a 0-3 whitewash at the hands of England. The Babar Azam-led side currently sits at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
Pakistan faced an innings and 103 runs defeat in the opening Test at Headingley, while the visitors went down by 194 runs and eight wickets, respectively, in the next two Tests at Lord’s and Edgbaston.
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