Having previously been deemed ineligible to play in the President’s Trophy Grade-I, Pakistan’s red-ball domestic competition, Mohammad Rizwan has been given the green signal to represent Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL). The wicketkeeper-batter will join the side for the seventh and final round of the competition, starting on October 19, and is set to captain the team. He could continue his presence in the domestic circuit by playing for Peshawar in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, the second of Pakistan’s two red-ball competitions, next month.
Why was Rizwan barred from the President’s Trophy?
Initially, Rizwan’s absence from the President’s Trophy was cited as a failure to appear in a pre-season fitness test. However, it was soon revealed that Pakistan’s cybercrime agency, National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), had launched an investigation against Rizwan over alleged online betting activities. Besides Rizwan, the enquiry was also opened against batter Imam-ul-Haq, both of whom appeared before the agency in Lahore last month.
Following his first appearance before NCCIA, Rizwan submitted a petition to the Lahore High Court (LHC), questioning NCCIA’s jurisdiction over the matter, the lack of clarity in the charges laid against him and demanding the return of his mobile phone, which was seized during the England tour. The petition was dismissed. The court, however, did tell NCCIA not to subject him to “harassment or unnecessary inconvenience”.
Rizwan and Imam cleared for domestic cricket
The NCCIA subsequently asked Rizwan to appear before the agency and cooperate with the investigation. Rizwan responded by requesting clarification on why he was being investigated, though he is understood to have cooperated with the agency.
It remains unclear whether Rizwan’s clearance to play President’s Trophy comes in response to the conclusion of the investigation. However, the PCB has allowed him to return to domestic cricket. Like Rizwan, Imam has also been cleared to play for his President’s Trophy team, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL).
Both OGDCL and SNGPL currently sit at the bottom of the table, with the former having won only one out of six games, while the latter has yet to open their account.
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