Muhammad Rizwan seeks ICC clarity on corruption procedure as Pakistan probe continues

Former Pakistan captain Muhammad Rizwan has approached the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit seeking clarity on the procedure to be followed if a player is suspected of involvement in corruption, amid a government probe into alleged links to illegal betting and gambling websites.

The move comes after the Lahore High Court on Thursday rejected a writ petition challenging the jurisdiction of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to investigate such matters.

The wicketkeeper-batter, who has played around 250 international matches across the three formats, is being questioned by the NCCIA after he was ordered to return home along with two other senior players -- Salman Ali Agha and Imam-ul-Haq -- from Pakistan's disastrous tour of England.

Rizwan, who has had no previous allegations of involvement in illegal betting or gambling during his more than 10-year international career, has sought to know from the ICC whether the PCB followed the



prescribed procedure if it suspected any of its players of corruption.

The ICC Anti-Corruption laws state that if any player belonging to any member country is found involved or is suspected of corruption and breaching the anti-corruption code the ICC's anti-corruption unit holds its own inquiry and takes the concerned board in the loop.

The PCB is yet to make it clear if it suspects Rizwan of any illegal practices and whether they have brought the matter to the notice of the ICC ACU which is mandatory under the anti-corruption laws.

A Test player, who has known Rizwan, said he was a bit surprised when the letter of the NCCIA was leaked out in which it is stated that Rizwan had been summoned to answer questions relating to his seized mobile phone and some illegal betting and gambling sites.

"It would be a big shock for me if any of the current lot of players were found involved in such corruption," the former captain who declined to be named said on Friday.