Rizwan, Imam questioned as cyber agency probes Pakistan dressing-room leaks

Senior Pakistan cricketers Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq were questioned for nearly four hours by the country’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) as authorities widened an inquiry into alleged leaks from the national team’s dressing room during the ongoing Test series against England.

The investigation was initiated following a complaint from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), marking the first time the board has approached a cybercrime agency over allegations involving national team players. A new dimension has emerged in the inquiry, with investigators carrying out forensic and technical examination of the mobile phones of Rizwan and Imam and scrutinising their financial accounts and certain transactions, according to reports by Geo News.

Financial transactions under scrutiny

Investigators are examining the financial dealings of the two players before and during the England series, including details of their bank accounts and transactions considered relevant to the inquiry. Payments allegedly received from companies, individuals or organisations are also being examined as authorities seek to establish whether there is any connection between financial activity and the suspected disclosure of information from within the Pakistan dressing room.

The development comes during a turbulent England tour for Pakistan. Seven players, including Rizwan and Imam, along with two members of the support staff, were sent back from the tour over disciplinary issues. The Pakistan team’s security manager subsequently handed over the mobile phones of the two senior players to the NCCIA for examination.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister, while the NCCIA functions under the Interior Ministry. The board has confirmed that the cybercrime agency is conducting an inquiry into the alleged dressing-room leaks but has declined to comment further while the investigation remains underway.

Players questioned in Lahore

Rizwan and Imam appeared at the NCCIA’s Johar Town office in Lahore on Thursday, where investigators questioned them at length. They were asked about suspected dressing-room leaks as well as their contacts and meetings during practice sessions and matches in England.

Both players have sought additional time to submit written responses to questions raised by investigators. The NCCIA has not officially levelled any allegation against either player, and the inquiry remains at the investigative stage.

The PCB has separately announced an internal disciplinary inquiry following reports concerning the conduct and discipline of members of the Pakistan contingent. The board said the issues were being reviewed internally but has not disclosed details of the alleged violations.

England tour controversy deepens

The cybercrime investigation adds to the turmoil surrounding Pakistan’s difficult Test tour of England. The decision to send seven players and two support staff members home over disciplinary matters was itself an extraordinary step, and the subsequent involvement of the NCCIA has significantly raised the stakes.

Investigators are now seeking to establish whether confidential information from inside the dressing room was passed to people outside the team and, if so, how it was communicated. The forensic examination of the players’ phones and scrutiny of relevant financial transactions are expected to form a key part of that process.

The PCB complaint specifically concerns alleged leaks during the England series. With the investigation still underway and the two players yet to submit their complete written responses, authorities have not announced any findings or established wrongdoing by Rizwan or Imam.