NCCIA quizzes cricketers over ‘dressing room leaks’

LAHORE: In a surprising move, members of Pakistan's national cricket team faced questioning by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over allegations of confidential leaks from the dressing room during the recent series against England. The cybercrime agency interrogated Imamul Haq and Mohammad Rizwan on Thursday at the request of the Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Notably, NCCIA operates under Naqvi's leadership as interior minister.

The PCB had previously announced an internal disciplinary probe into reports of discipline and conduct issues, now under review. Seven players were sent home after the team’s poor performances in the first two Tests against England. Dawn spoke with a PCB representative who confirmed the NCCIA probe, but declined to comment further pending the investigation's progress. Interior Minister Naqvi, however, did not respond to inquiries.

Sources close to the situation revealed that both players visited NCCIA's Lahore office and were questioned for about four hours. They reportedly surrendered their cellphones to the agency for forensic analysis. Both cricketers have also asked for additional time to submit written statements to the investigators. The PCB had already transferred both players' cellphones to the NCCIA.

The inquiry targets leaks from the dressing room during the England series, according to the source. This is not the first time Pakistan's cricket team has faced scrutiny, but the fact that a complaint has been lodged with a law enforcement agency during the ongoing series is unprecedented. In 2009-10, following a poor tour of Australia, including a ball-biting scandal, an inquiry committee recommended actions against several senior players, yet the enforcement came from former cricketers.

After the 2010 match-fixing scandal, Pakistan adopted a dual-track approach, involving both ICC tribunal proceedings and criminal prosecution under UK law.