Pakistan cricket’s rough tour of England just got messier. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed Monday it has opened an internal disciplinary inquiry tied to conduct concerns, following days of media reports involving senior players Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan.
What PCB Actually Confirmed
PCB media director Amir Mir issued a statement Monday confirming the board had launched an internal inquiry into matters of “discipline and conduct,” currently under internal review. He stressed the process was being carried out under standard PCB regulations, with all concerned individuals given due consideration. Notably, PCB’s official statement did not name Imam or Rizwan directly, nor did it disclose the specific nature of the investigation.
The Reports PCB Didn’t Confirm
The board’s statement followed a Geo News report claiming PCB had obtained data from Imam and Rizwan’s mobile phones as part of an investigation into their activities and contacts during the team’s stay in London. According to that report, the players’ phones were reportedly taken by the team’s security officer after Pakistan’s 194-run defeat at Lord’s and returned several hours later, with their data allegedly transferred elsewhere first. It’s important to be precise here: PCB has not confirmed taking possession of the phones or extracting their data. Mir specifically cautioned against treating unverified reports, particularly those from what he called “hostile external sources,” as established fact.
How This Tour Unraveled
The controversy sits on top of an already turbulent series. England won the opening Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, then beat Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord’s to seal an unassailable 2-0 series lead. In response, PCB released seven players — including Imam and Rizwan — from the squad and replaced red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed with Mike Hesson on an interim basis ahead of the third and final Test at Edgbaston.
The Imam Injury Question
Imam’s situation had already drawn scrutiny before this latest development. He suffered what was described as a low-grade calf strain while fielding on the first day at Lord’s and didn’t bat in either innings as Pakistan was bowled out for 110 and 194. Aaqib Javed, a member of the national selection committee and PCB’s high-performance director, publicly questioned how a player could miss both innings over a muscle injury, and confirmed a formal inquiry into the matter. Adding further weight to the scrutiny, former chief selector Mohammad Wasim noted that Pakistan’s former team physio had previously flagged “suspicious injury patterns” involving Imam during a 2022 series, and a separate PCB inquiry had reportedly found Imam responsible for exaggerating a toe injury during a New Zealand tour the previous year. It’s worth being clear that these are prior findings and allegations reported by multiple outlets — not a conclusion of the current inquiry, which PCB says is still ongoing.
Where Things Stand
PCB has declined to provide further details while the process is underway, asking the public and stakeholders to rely only on official board communications for updates. Meanwhile, on the field, Pakistan’s newly reshuffled squad — including five uncapped players — takes on England in the third and final Test at Edgbaston, starting September 9, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did PCB officially announce?
PCB confirmed it launched an internal disciplinary inquiry into matters of discipline and conduct, without naming any specific players or detailing the exact nature of the investigation.
Did PCB confirm taking players’ phone data?
No. PCB has not confirmed this claim. It followed a Geo News report alleging phones belonging to Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan were taken and their data transferred, but the board has explicitly cautioned against treating unverified reports as fact.
Why was Imam-ul-Haq’s injury questioned?
He didn’t bat in either innings at Lord’s after a reported calf strain, prompting selector Aaqib Javed to call for a formal inquiry, partly due to past incidents involving questioned injuries.
When is Pakistan’s next match?
Pakistan plays the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham, starting September 9, 2026.
With PCB keeping most details under wraps while its internal inquiry continues, this story is very likely to keep developing — for now, the safest read is to treat the confirmed inquiry and the still-unverified phone-data reports as two separate things until PCB says otherwise.
