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LAHORE/KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), apparently taking a step back quietly, has allowed former captain Mohammad Rizwan and opener Imamul Haq to represent their respective teams in the seventh round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I first-class tournament starting on Monday.
Both Rizwan and Imam — who represent the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) respectively, in domestic cricket — had been under investigation by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for alleged betting and gambling activities following Pakistan’s defeat in the second Test in England earlier this year.
The pair, whose mobile phones were confiscated by the NCCIA, and five other players of the squad in England were withdrawn before the third and final Test which the tourists lost 3-0.
According to some reports, both Rizwan and Imam are facing allegations under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca).
Amid the probe, Rizwan was denied permission to feature in the eight-team President’s Trophy, which started last month. At the time, it was explained away as the player’s failure to appear in a pre-season fitness test. But it later emerged that he had been denied the go-ahead to play because of the NCCIA probe.
Though the PCB itself did not issue any official statement on the participation of any of the above-mentioned players, SNGPL coach and former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez has said on electronic media that if available Rizwan would lead SNGPL in the next President’s Trophy match.
Hafeez’s statement indicates that there is no bar on Rizwan anymore and now it is up to the wicket-keeper/batsman’s own availability to lead the team.
It has been reported that Rizwan had asked the PCB for the no-objection certificate to play the Nepal League, but the PCB only allowed him to feature in domestic cricket.
Meanwhile, Imam’s return to the domestic cricket was made official by the OGDCL.
Farah Batool, president of the OGDCL sports department, told Dawn that Imam would play the seventh-round match of the President’s Trophy after receiving the directions from the PCB. Sources in the PCB also confirmed this.
Rizwan was summoned by the NCCIA in Lahore on Oct 2 when the agency grilled him for more than three hours. However, no official statement on the matter has been released by the NCCIA so far. Rizwan, after this case emerged, had requested the PCB to allow him to use the National Cricket Academy which was denied.
