Rizwan NCCIA Probe: PCB Chief Expects Contact Soon
The Rizwan NCCIA inquiry moved a step closer to its end on Thursday, as Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said the investigation agency will contact Mohammad Rizwan soon for clarification before finalising its report.
Naqvi spoke to reporters during a visit to the National Cricket Academy in Lahore on Thursday, saying the agency had briefed him a few days earlier and would complete its report after obtaining the required clarification.
“NCCIA briefed me a few days ago. I think they will contact Rizwan. They will do some clarities and finalise the report,” Naqvi said. Asked when the agency would contact the wicketkeeper-batter, he replied: “I don’t know. But I think they will contact him soon.”
Rizwan NCCIA inquiry stretches into its third month
Rizwan, along with opener Imam-ul-Haq, was summoned by the investigation agency after allegations that confidential information had leaked from the national team’s dressing room during the Test tour of England.
The PCB took custody of the mobile phones of the two players before handing them over to the relevant authorities for forensic examination. Investigators also examined their digital communications, financial transactions and contacts to establish whether team information had been shared with unauthorised people.
Both cricketers appeared before the NCCIA at its Johar Town office in Lahore on September 10, where they were questioned about the allegations. Rizwan was summoned again in October for the forensic analysis of his phone, a day after he had written a third letter to the agency seeking clarity on the allegations and the scope of the inquiry.
The investigation at first held up Rizwan’s participation in this year’s President’s Trophy Grade-I, but he was later cleared to represent his department, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, in the final round of the first-class tournament last month.
Rizwan, 34, is now leading Peshawar Blues in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy Gold 2026-27. Imam is leading Multan in the same first-class competition. Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi opened the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy season in October.
Central contracts expected within a day or two
Naqvi also gave an update on the PCB men’s central contracts for 2026-27, saying they had been finalised and would be announced within a day or two. “It has been finalised. I think it will be finalised today or tomorrow,” he told reporters.
The old contracts expired on July 31, and the board delayed the new list to assess player performance. Reports in early November said head coach Mike Hesson had recommended 13 young players, and a board source quoted by the Press Trust of India said Rizwan and Imam would not be offered contracts. The PCB has not confirmed those reports.
The reported young names included Arafat Minhas, Saad Baig, Hasan Nawaz and Akif Javed, among others, while Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi and Sahabzada Farhan were said to be retained.
The contracts question has been running alongside a wider debate about pay. Players have pushed for Category C contracts that carry no limits on overseas league appearances, a dispute that shapes how much top players can earn outside the PCB system.
NCA upgrade due by January 31
Naqvi also praised Director High Performance Aqib Javed and the design team for the master plan to upgrade the National Cricket Academy, which he described as state of the art. He said the project had a deadline of January 31, 2027.
“You must have seen that this academy is one of the best,” Naqvi said during the visit. “Mr Aqib has put a lot of effort into the master plan and in our designing team. It will be a state-of-the-art academy with all the features and machinery of the world.”
He said Javed would use the revamped academy to run camps every three to six months for emerging talent. The PCB has also set ticket prices for the Sri Lanka Test series in Rawalpindi.
Frequently asked questions
What did Naqvi say about the NCCIA contacting Rizwan?
He said the agency briefed him a few days ago and would contact Rizwan for clarification before finalising its report, adding that he expected the contact to happen soon but could not give a date.
What are Rizwan and Imam accused of?
They face allegations that confidential information leaked from the national team’s dressing room during the Test tour of England. Both appeared before the NCCIA on September 10, and their phones were taken for forensic examination.
When will the PCB announce the new central contracts?
Naqvi said the 2026-27 contracts had been finalised and would be announced within a day or two. The old contracts expired on July 31.
Will Rizwan and Imam keep their central contracts?
Reports in early November, citing a board source, said the two seniors would not be offered contracts, with head coach Mike Hesson backing 13 young players instead. The PCB has not confirmed those reports.
