'For Pakistan’s Sake, Give Us Your Mobile': Rizwan’s Phone Taken in England at 1:30am - UrduPoint
Zeeshan Mehtab | Published September 19, 2026 | 10:33 AM
National cricketer Mohammad Rizwan’s mobile phone was taken in England at around 1:30 am "for Pakistan's sake," according to sources.
Rizwan was called from his hotel room to the lobby where a PCB official and an unidentified man questioned him about online betting companies and gambling, requesting his mobile phone. Despite his repeated refusals, he was eventually persuaded, saying, "For Pakistan’s sake, give us your mobile."
According to private TV channel Geo News, Rizwan was assured that the phone would be returned within a few hours due to his scheduled flight home the following day. However, sources state that the phone ended up at the NCCIA in Lahore and still has not been returned.
Rizwan expresses reservations about the investigation's conduct, questioning the absence of written documentation, justifications, and receipts for taking his phone. He also wants to know:
- Why the phone was transferred out of the country and held for weeks despite assurances of quick return.
- If any international bodies or local authorities were notified when the phone was taken.
- The legal basis for taking the phone if no ICC Anti-Corruption Code violation occurred.
Sources note that under the central contract, security personnel or the team manager can seize a player's mobile phone but question the lack of transparency in this case. They also raise concerns about double standards, pointing to contrasting treatment compared to previous players investigated for betting platforms.
Rizwan awaits written answers to these questions from the PCB. The ICC has yet to issue a statement on the matter.