Rashid Latif faces cybercrime probe after explosive claims against PCB

Pakistan cricket has yet again been hit by a major controversy after former captain Rashid Latif found himself under the scanner of the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCA). Latif came on the NCCA’s radar after he publicly accused the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of allowing betting-linked sponsorships to influence major selection decisions.

According to officials close to the PCB, the complaint filed against Rashid has nothing to do with his controversial views on the Pakistan cricket team’s performances on the field but with his sensational claim that big names like Mohammad Rizwan were removed from captaincy because they refused to accept sponsorships connected to betting companies.

Rashid Latif’s betting-sponsorship allegations trigger NCCA inquiry

The former captain had also claimed that some PCB officials are running after such deals. Later, the NCCA confirmed that the complaint was lodged by Syed Ali Rizvi, a member of the PCB’s legal team, which further intensified the situation and turned it into a full-blown controversy.

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The PCB source stated, as quoted by News18, “Claiming that Muhammad Rizwan was removed as ODI captain because he opposed surrogate advertising sponsorship deals with betting companies, or indirectly accusing board officials of pursuing such deals, is a serious issue.”

This entire episode came at a time when Pakistan had already taken strict action against surrogate advertising despite the promotions appearing to be for harmless brands but actually representing betting companies.

Rashid Latif episode emerges after PEMRA’s ban on surrogate advertising

In December 2023, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) banned all such advertising on electronic media. Soon after, the Pakistan government made it clear that there would be zero tolerance for betting promotions through the game in the country.

The ban hit Pakistan cricket hard, especially the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where several teams had signed major logo deals with these surrogate brands. After the government’s order, the PSL team had to end those deals.

But Rashid has repeatedly said that both Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were targeted by the PCB because they refused to wear jerseys with these surrogate betting logos. His claims have now led to an official inquiry, raising questions about sponsorship practices in Pakistani cricket.

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Azhar Ali resigns from key roles amid silent PCB moves

Earlier, the Pakistan cricket board had faced another unexpected drama, as former captain Azhar Ali had stepped down from his role as the national selector and head of youth development just one year after being appointed. The board has accepted his resignation but, interestingly, has not made a public statement.

According to Pakistani media reports, Azhar decided to quit after growing differences with the board. The situation finally reached its point when Sarfaraz Ahmed was quietly appointed as the head of both the Pakistan Shaheens and the Under-19 teams.

The PCB has also not made this appointment officially. Sarfaraz’s appointment reportedly clashed directly with Azhar’s own responsibilities. Since the former captain was given a role that closely overlapped with the work Azhar was handling, he felt his position no longer held any real value or authority. Azhar felt sidelined, so he decided to resign from his position.

Currently, the Pakistan team is playing a T20I Tri-Series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka at home.