- Notice, according to Rizwan, refers to an inquiry into online betting, gambling.
- Says investigators did not answer his repeated questions about allegations.
- Asks LHC to halt NCCIA proceedings until his petition is finally decided.
LAHORE: Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has challenged the summons issued to him by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in the Lahore High Court (LHC), questioning the agency’s jurisdiction and the nature of the investigation.
Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Justice Aalia Neelum, is scheduled to hear Rizwan’s petition today.
In his petition, Rizwan has questioned why he was summoned by the NCCIA without being informed of any specific allegation against him.
According to the petition, the NCCIA notice states that an inquiry into online betting and gambling is under way.
The cricketer has maintained that the notice did not identify any specific allegation or explain what illegal activity he was allegedly involved in.
He further stated that he repeatedly asked about the details of the allegations during his appearance before the agency but was not provided with answers.
Rizwan has also questioned why the cyber crimes agency was investigating an unspecified allegation against him. The petition asks the Lahore High Court to stop the NCCIA from taking further action against him until the final decision on the petition.
Rizwan, Imam questioned by NCCIA
Rizwan and Pakistan Test opener Imam-ul-Haq had appeared before the NCCIA at its Johar Town office in Lahore earlier this month.
According to sources cited by Geo News, the two cricketers were questioned for around two hours regarding an investigation involving information allegedly leaked from the Pakistan dressing room during the Test series against England. They were also asked about their contacts and meetings during practice sessions and matches in England.
The agency has also been conducting forensic and technical analysis of the players’ mobile phones. Sources told Geo News that the investigation was examining financial dealings and suspected transactions involving the two players, including their bank accounts and transactions before and after the England series.
Investigators are also reviewing messages, contacts and other digital information retrieved from the phones, while information circulating on social media concerning alleged dressing-room leaks is reportedly part of the inquiry.
The NCCIA has not officially announced any final finding against either player.
Rizwan subsequently submitted a written response to the agency, seeking clarification over the reasons for his summons and asking why his mobile phone had not been returned.
Sources told Geo News that Rizwan also questioned the alleged disciplinary violation for which he had been called by the agency.
PCB inquiry and players’ phones
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had taken custody of the players’ mobile phones before handing them over to the relevant authorities for examination, according to sources.
The PCB has previously declined to comment on the ongoing inquiry, saying the matter was still under investigation.
The development followed major changes to Pakistan’s Test squad after the team’s defeats against England.
Rizwan and Imam were among seven players released from the Pakistan squad following the defeat at Lord’s, along with head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul.
The PCB had also sought a written explanation from members of its selection committee over the inclusion of Rizwan and Imam in Pakistan’s Test squads for the 2026 tours of the West Indies and England.
According to a notice issued by the PCB on August 31, the selection committee had considered and recommended the two players during a meeting held on June 2. The board sought details of the selection criteria, performance considerations and other factors taken into account before their inclusion.
Meanwhile, the NCCIA’s investigation into Rizwan and Imam remains ongoing, with forensic examination of their mobile phones and scrutiny of financial transactions continuing, according to sources cited by Geo News.