Following the disaster in England, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) raised the stakes against its own men's squad on Monday. Following media reports that highlighted issues with certain players' behavior in the dressing room, the PCB has now launched a disciplinary investigation after sending seven players home.
The board's spokesperson, however, advised relying solely on official communication without taking any names, and not believing any rumors that are making the rounds.
The official statement by PCB also coincided with 365 News's story that some players' cell phones had been seized by the PCB. However, the authorities have neither refuted nor validated this assertion.
On Monday, the PCB issued a statement confirming that an inquiry has indeed been launched. However, the board did not name any players with whom the matter concerns.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board has initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally. The PCB handles such matters in accordance with its standard procedures. The process is being conducted under PCB regulations, ensuring that all concerned individuals are given due consideration,” Amir Mir, PCB's Director of Media and Digital Communications, shared on X.
“At this stage, any speculative reports or unverified claims circulating on certain platforms, particularly those originating from hostile external sources, should not be regarded as credible. The PCB will not comment further at this time. The Board advises stakeholders and the public to rely on official PCB communications,” he added.
The Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB recently took some harsh steps after Pakistan lost the first two Tests of the three-match series in England. Pakistan lost the first Test in Leeds by an innings and 103 runs, while they lost the second Test at Lord’s by 194 runs and are down 0-2 in the series.
As a result, PCB sent seven players home, including Salman Ali Agha, who had captained Pakistan in the first Test, opener Imam Ul Haq and wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. These players were replaced by calling up seven cricketers from home, including five who have not made their Test debuts yet.
Pakistan Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also sacked and sent back to Pakistan, with Mike Hesson, the white-ball coach, being asked to take over.
If Rizwan and Imam are found guilty of any misconduct, the PCB intends to take action against them, according to reports in Pakistan. This was after Imam-ul-Haq allegedly faked a calf injury in the second Test to avoid batting in tough conditions. Mohammad Rizwan had a poor series with the bat, scoring 61 runs in four innings.
