"Mohammad Rizwan restricts non-muslims from entering"- Imam-ul-Haq

Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq has provided insights into captain Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership style and dressing room secrets. Imam-ul-Haq’s comments come now amid Pakistan are facing heavy criticism during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, where they were eliminated in the group stage.

The Mohammad Rizwan-led team started their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign with losses against New Zealand and Bangladesh. They lost by 60 runs to New Zealand in the tournament opener. The Men in Green were outplayed by arch-rivals India in Dubai, where they suffered a six-wicket loss.

Pakistan Eliminated from ICC Champions Trophy 2025

The defending champions had a slim chance of making the semi-finals after their loss to Team India. They hoped Bangladesh would defeat New Zealand in the Group A match. However, New Zealand secured the win by five wickets in Rawalpindi, confirming their place in the semi-finals along with India.

Pakistan will aim to finish their Champions Trophy campaign on a positive note with a win against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday, February 27. With Pakistan cricket at a critical juncture following their early exit, doubts remain over Mohammad Rizwan’s effectiveness as a leader.

Sare Ladh Rahe Hai Aapas Mein - Imam-ul-Haq on Pakistan's Leadership Struggles

Ahead of the Champions Trophy, Imam-ul-Haq appeared on the Ultra Edge podcast. The left-handed batter was asked about the leader in the Pakistan dressing room. In response, he burst into laughter before stating that everyone in the team was fighting among themselves.

“Who shall I name as a leader? Sare ladh rahe hai aapas mein (Everyone’s fighting among themselves),” Imam said.

Other Captains: Make strategy, enforce discipline, decide practice timings, make sure everyone is focused on next game.

Pakistan Captain Maulana Mohammad Rizwan:
- Find a room for Namaz in hotel.
- BAN NON MUSLIMS FROM ENTERING THE ROOM.
- Spread white sheets in room for… pic.twitter.com/3IjlCKkRuz

— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) February 26, 2025

Imam was not included in the Champions Trophy squad. However, the opening batter replaced the injured Fakhar Zaman, who was ruled out of the tournament after suffering an injury during the match against New Zealand. Imam scored just 10 runs off 26 balls before being run out against the Men in Blue.

Mohammad Rizwan Restricts Non-Muslims from Entering - Imam-ul-Haq

Imam-ul-Haq said that Mohammad Rizwan takes the lead in organizing religious activities within the team and restricts non-Muslims from entering designated prayer areas. He also stated that Rizwan creates WhatsApp groups to coordinate Namaz timings.

"For now, I can say Rizzi (Rizwan). He arranges rooms in hotels, gathers everyone for Namaz, spreads white sheets [for prayers], restricts non-Muslims from entering. He also makes WhatsApp groups for Namaz timings," Imam disclosed.

Earlier, a report claimed there were tensions between Mohammad Rizwan and coach Mohammad Javed due to ego clashes over squad selection. Rizwan reportedly backed Khushdil Shah, while Javed preferred Faheem Ashraf.

Following Pakistan’s disappointing Champions Trophy campaign, there are chances of changes in the team management. Rizwan’s leadership has come under scrutiny, especially after his slow 46 off 77 balls in the six-wicket loss to India.

Pakistan entered the Champions Trophy as the defending champions. They secured the title in 2017 with a 180-run victory over India in the final. However, they then suffered six consecutive ODI defeats against arch-rivals, including a heavy loss in the current tournament.

Also read: Pakistan's misuse of ICC money exposed as Mohammad Kaif publicly shames PCB amid Rawalpindi rain