Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan questioned by Pakistan's Cyber Crimes Agency
Cyber agency questions Rizwan, Imam as PCB reviews discipline concerns
Dubai: Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq were among the seven cricketers removed from the squad and sent home after Pakistan’s 194-run defeat to England in the second Test at Lord’s. Both players were reportedly now questioned by Pakistan’s National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Lahore on Thursday.
While the Pakistan’s disastrous Test tour of England continues at Edgbaston, Rizwan and Imam were summoned to appear before the NCCIA. As per reports, at least one of them understood to have spent several hours at the agency.
The reason for the question remains unclear. It is also not known whether the matter is connected to the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) internal disciplinary inquiry announced earlier this week. The PCB said it was reviewing media reports concerning “discipline and conduct” under its regulations.
According to Cricinfo, at least one of the players has received a questionnaire from the NCCIA and is expected to respond next week.
Rizwan had struggled with the bat during the England tour, scoring 12, 41, 7 and 1. Imam didn’t bat at all in the second Test after suffering a grade-1 tear in his left calf at Lord’s.
Many reports even accused the left-handed batsman of faking his injury. This included the PCB chief selector Aaqib Javed who publicly questioned Imam’s injury and indicated that it could be investigated.
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi previously hinted that factors beyond performance were behind the squad changes. “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,” he said.
The PCB had also sought explanations from selectors over the selection of Rizwan and Imam for the West Indies and England tours. Misbah-ul-Haq resigned as a selector following the squad changes.
Imam was announced as the captain of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) cricket team at the 2026 President’s Trophy on Thursday. Meanwhile, Rizwan is also set for his first-class cricket return as the vice-captain of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL).
