LAHORE: The investigation into senior cricketers Mohammad Rizwan and Imamul-Haq by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is nearing completion, while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also set to announce new central contracts for its players, chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday.
Talking to the media here, Naqvi said he had spoken to the NCCIA, which had sought further clarification from Rizwan before finalising its findings.
He said the investigation was expected to be completed within a few days, although he could notgive an exact timeline.
The PCB chairman confirmed that both Rizwan and Imam had been allowed to resume domestic cricket despite the investigation remaining pending. The two players came under scrutiny following allegations of leaking confidential information and dressing-room matters during Pakistan’s 0-3 Test series defeat in England.
Regarding central contracts, Naqvi said the new agreements had been finalised, or would be completed by the following day, and would be announced soon.
The announcement is already around three months overdue, with the previous contracts having expired on July 31.
Responding to questions aboutfinancial concerns surrounding the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Naqvi pointed to the substantial sums paid for the newly introduced franchises and Multan Sultans.
He said franchise owners should not expect to make profits within a year or two and should have conducted proper feasibility studies before investing in the league.
He added that existing or prospective franchise owners wishing to sell their teams at a profit were free to do so in accordance with the prescribed rules and regulations.
Asked about the selection of a large number of players for Test debuts and the subsequent dropping of some after just a coupleof opportunities, Naqvi expressed satisfaction with the overall state of Pakistan cricket and said he had full confidence in his team to manage the game’s affairs.
He assured the cricket administration of his continued support and expressed hope that Pakistan would achieve much better results once the next batch of young players was ready over the next six months.
Naqvi also said renovation work at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore was being initiated, with Jan 31, 2027, set as the completion deadline.
He said the upgraded facility would be able to accommodate a larger number of players for training.