Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq have been declared ineligible for first-class domestic cricket after failing to provide the fitness reports required by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The PCB requires centrally contracted players to submit fitness reports before taking part in first-class matches. Since the two players did not complete this requirement, they cannot feature in their planned domestic games.
Imam-ul-Haq was scheduled to captain Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) against Pakistan Television (PTV). Mohammad Rizwan was also expected to lead Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), with regular captain Shan Masood unavailable.
The decision comes shortly after both players were sent back from Pakistan’s England Test tour. They were among seven players released following heavy defeats in the first two Tests. New red-ball coach Mike Hesson later said the decision had already been made before he took charge of the team.
The two cricketers have also recently been questioned by Pakistan’s National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA), although authorities have not publicly explained the reason for the questioning.
The domestic setback adds to a difficult period for both senior players as they seek to return to Pakistan’s Test plans.
