According to officials close to the PCB, the complaint against Rashid has nothing to do with his controversial views on the Pakistan cricket team’s performance on the field, but with his sensational claim that big names like Mohammad Rizwan were removed from the captaincy because they refused to accept sponsorship linked to gambling companies.
The former captain had also alleged that some PCB officials are running after such deals. Later, the NCCA confirmed that the complaint was filed by Syed Ali Rizvi, a member of the PCB legal team, further intensifying the situation and turning it into a full-blown controversy.
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The PCB source stated, as quoted by News18: “Asserting that Muhammad Rizwan was removed as ODI captain because he opposed surrogate advertising sponsorship deals with betting companies, or indirectly accusing board officials of pursuing such deals, is a serious issue.”
This entire episode took place at a time when Pakistan had already taken strict measures against surrogate advertising, despite the promotions appearing to be for innocent brands but actually representing gambling companies.
Rashid Latif’s episode comes after PEMRA’s ban on surrogate advertising
In December 2023, Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) banned all such advertisements on electronic media. Shortly afterwards, the Pakistani government made it clear that there would be zero tolerance for gambling promotions through the game in the country.
The ban hit Pakistani cricket hard, especially the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where several teams had signed major logo deals with these surrogate brands. Following orders from the government, the PSL team had to terminate these deals.
But Rashid has repeatedly said that both Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were targeted by the PCB because they refused to wear jerseys with these surrogate betting logos. His claims have now led to an official investigation, raising questions about sponsorship practices in Pakistani cricket.
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Azhar Ali resigns over quiet PCB moves
Earlier, Pakistan’s cricket board was confronted with another unexpected tragedy as former captain Azhar Ali stepped down from his role as national selector and head of youth development just a year after his appointment. The board accepted his resignation but, interestingly, made no public statement.
According to reports in the Pakistani media, Azhar decided to quit after differences with the board grew. The situation eventually reached its point when Sarfaraz Ahmed was quietly appointed as the head of both the Pakistan Shaheens and Under-19 teams.
The PCB has also not officially made this appointment. Sarfaraz’s appointment was reportedly in conflict with Azhar’s own responsibilities. As the former captain was given a role that closely overlapped with the work Azhar was performing, he felt that his position no longer had any real value or authority. Azhar felt sidelined, so he decided to resign from his position.
Currently, the Pakistan team is playing a T20I Tri-Series against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka at home.
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