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Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court challenging the summons that the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) issued to him after he appeared before the agency last week.
Rizwan, along with fellow Pakistan batter Imam-ul-Haq, was summoned by the NCCIA for questioning in the aftermath of Pakistan's 3-0 Test series defeat in England. Both players appeared at the agency's Lahore office last Thursday and were subsequently given multi-page questionnaires to complete and return, according to Cricinfo. While Imam is understood to have submitted his responses through an intermediary before the September 15 deadline, Rizwan has raised questions about the nature of the investigation and the NCCIA's jurisdiction in his response. Rizwan also filed the writ petition on Monday, citing what is understood to be the absence of a specific allegation against him and questioning the agency's jurisdiction to summon him for questioning. The NCCIA questionnaire is believed to have sought information about the players' travel and financial history, as well as personal and career details. It remains unclear whether the agency's inquiry is connected to the Pakistan Cricket Board's separate internal investigation. The PCB announced last week that it had "initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally". The board said the process was being "conducted under PCB regulations", according to Cricinfo. Rizwan and Imam were among seven players dropped from Pakistan's squad and sent home following the team's 194-run defeat to England in the second Test at Lord's. Pakistan had lost the opening Test by an innings and 103 runs. The PCB subsequently made wholesale changes to the squad, while head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed. Seven replacements were sent to England, including five uncapped players. Pakistan went on to lose the third Test at Edgbaston by eight wickets. Among the new players, Razaullah impressed on debut with four wickets and an 81-run knock. Rizwan's batting returns during the England tour were 12, 41, 7 and 1 across the two Tests he played. He had also struggled for runs during Pakistan's two-Test series in the Caribbean, although his wicketkeeping remained highly regarded. Imam, meanwhile, was diagnosed with a grade-one tear in his left calf after the opening day's play at Lord's and did not bat or take the field during the match. Pakistan's chief selector and director of high performance Aaqib Javed had publicly questioned the nature of the injury and indicated that it would be investigated. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had also suggested that factors beyond performance were being examined while explaining 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," said Naqvi, as per Cricinfo. The selection of Rizwan and Imam for Pakistan's tours of the West Indies and England also came under scrutiny, with the PCB issuing a notice to a member of its selection committee seeking a written explanation over their selection and the process followed. Misbah-ul-Haq, one of the selectors, subsequently resigned from his position following the changes to the Pakistan squad. (ANI)
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