PCB seizes phones of Imam and Rizwan amid tour misconduct investigation: reports
Pakistan's troubled England tour has taken another dramatic turn, with the Pakistan Cricket Board reportedly taking mobile phones from Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq as part of an investigation into the team's dismal performances in the first two Tests, according to reports.
According to Pak Observer, security officials collected both players' devices as soon as the squad returned to the hotel following the 194-run defeat at Lord's.
Data was extracted from the phones before the devices were returned to the players a few hours later.
No details of what information was retrieved have been made public, and a PCB spokesperson declined to confirm the phones had been taken.
The investigation, which began after Pakistan's back-to-back defeats at Headingley and Lord's, is examining not only the players' on-field conduct but also their communications and interactions with various individuals during the tour.
Sources have said that if evidence of misconduct is found, the players could face fines, disciplinary action or suspension, and that the possibility of both being dropped from the national team cannot be ruled out.
Imam's situation carries particular weight, given the controversy surrounding his calf injury at Lord's. The opener did not bat in either innings during the match, but was seen practising with his calf taped on the fourth morning, prompting public accusations from Stuart Broad and David Warner that the injury was not genuine.
The PCB has since demanded a formal investigation, with sources confirming Imam could face a ban of between one and two years.
The PCB's reported move to take the players' phones has raised broader questions about what cricket authorities are permitted to do with personal devices and under what circumstances private communications can be accessed.
Under the ICC's Player and Match Officials Area regulations, players are already prohibited from using mobile phones inside restricted areas during matches.
However, those rules are separate from a situation in which a board retains a player's device for an extended period as part of an inquiry.
The ICC Anti-Corruption Code grants authorised officials considerably wider powers when a formal integrity investigation is underway.
Under the code, investigators can demand players surrender devices or allow data to be copied, covering telephone records, text messages, WhatsApp conversations, photographs and other electronically stored material.
Players can also be required to provide passwords, and failure to cooperate can itself result in disciplinary action.
Crucially, there has been no confirmation that the PCB's reported actions are connected to a corruption, betting or match-fixing investigation, and no player has been publicly accused of an integrity offence.
The ICC's Integrity Unit holds primary jurisdiction over international cricket under the global Anti-Corruption Code, while national boards generally exercise authority over domestic competitions.
The PCB has yet to publicly explain the basis for taking the devices, leaving the precise nature of the investigation unclear as Pakistan prepare for the third and final Test at Edgbaston.