ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise RawalPindiz owner Ahsan Tahir has threatened to withdraw the team from the competition if veteran Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is prevented from playing cricket.
Speaking amid media reports about a possible comprehensive ban on Rizwan, Tahir strongly opposed any such action, describing it as unjust and unacceptable, The News reported on Wednesday.
The franchise owner said his continued involvement in the PSL was closely linked to Rizwan’s presence in the sport and that he would reconsider his position if the cricketer were barred from participating in cricketing activities.
Rizwan central to franchise acquisition
Tahir revealed that Rizwan was a key factor behind his decision to acquire the RawalPindiz franchise.
He said he purchased the team with Rizwan specifically in mind and suggested there would be little reason for him to remain involved in the PSL if the Pakistan cricketer was excluded from the game.
Tahir also highlighted his personal relationship with Rizwan, describing the wicketkeeper-batter as a mentor whose values and guidance had influenced his life beyond cricket.
He added that his business interests were already well established in Pakistan and the United States, meaning ownership of a PSL franchise was not a commercial necessity for him.
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NCCIA inquiry involving Rizwan
Tahir’s comments come as the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) continues its inquiry following the seizure of Rizwan’s mobile phone after the Lord’s Test in England.
During a hearing at the Lahore High Court last week, Rizwan’s lawyer, Qazi Umair Ali, told Chief Justice Aalia Neelum that the cricketer had been called to a hotel lobby after the Test and questioned without being served a formal notice.
According to the lawyer, Rizwan’s phone was taken into custody after he was assured it would be returned within three hours. The device has reportedly not yet been returned.
Sources previously told Geo News that Rizwan had also sought guidance from the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit regarding the seizure of his phone.
The NCCIA inquiry concerns online betting and gambling in Pakistan cricket and has also been linked in reports to alleged leaks of information from the Pakistan dressing room during the Test series against England.
Rizwan and left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq appeared before the agency in Lahore earlier this month. No final finding against either player has been officially announced.
The two cricketers were among seven players released from Pakistan’s Test squad following the team’s defeat to England at Lord’s.
