Lahore: Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has twice been refused permission by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to hold a press conference or publicly address the ongoing National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) inquiry against him, sources confirmed on Monday. The former white ball captain had sought clearance to explain the sequence of events following the seizure of his personal mobile phone after the Lord’s Test against England, as well as his subsequent correspondence with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
According to sources, Rizwan applied for clearance under Clause 16 of his central contract which emphasizes mutual cooperation between the player and the governing body while adhering to Clause 4.1, which mandates prior PCB approval before speaking to the media on contract related matters. Rizwan reportedly intended to clarify his legal position and the allegations without leveling accusations against the board or investigating agencies. However, the PCB turned down both requests, maintaining strict confidentiality over the ongoing probe.
The inquiry stems from an investigation into online gambling and alleged dressing-room information leaks during Pakistan's recent Test series in England. During a Lahore High Court hearing last week, Rizwan’s legal counsel, Qazi Umair Ali, informed Chief Justice Aalia Neelum that his client was summoned to a hotel lobby after the Lord’s Test and persuaded to surrender his mobile phone on the assurance it would be returned within three hours a promise that remains unfulfilled.
Rizwan has since written to the ICC Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) to verify whether international protocols were adhered to during the seizure. Both Rizwan and opening batter Imam ul Haq appeared before the NCCIA in Lahore earlier this month, though no official findings have been published.
