Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has approached the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) seeking guidance after the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) opened an inquiry involving him, media reports have stated.
According to reports, Rizwan submitted his request through the ICC’s online portal for players seeking guidance from the anti-corruption body. In his submission, he asked whether Pakistani authorities investigating him had informed the ICC of the questioning he faced.
The move comes days after the Lahore High Court dismissed a petition Rizwan had filed against notices issued to him by the NCCIA. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum heard the case and ruled against him, directing him to respond to the agency’s notice and appear before it as required. The court also cautioned that withholding information from the investigation could lead to a significant fine.
Rizwan had gone to court to challenge the NCCIA’s jurisdiction and the nature of its inquiry, and had asked for the agency’s proceedings to be paused until his petition was decided.
He argued in the petition that the NCCIA had never specified any concrete allegation against him and questioned the basis for investigating a charge that remained undefined.
The petition also stated that Rizwan had already responded to the allegations through his lawyer at an earlier stage, but the NCCIA had rejected that response and issued a fresh notice instead.
The case originates from questionnaires the NCCIA sent to Rizwan and fellow batter Imam-ul-Haq, with both players required to submit answers by September 15.
Both Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq were recalled from Pakistan’s tour of England before the investigation against them was initiated.
