Rashid Latif under investigation by cybercrime agency following criticism of PCB

Published - 20 Nov 2025, 10:59 IST | Updated - 20 Nov 2025, 11:26 IST

Pakistan’s cybercrime agency has launched an investigation into former national captain Rashid Latif following his criticism of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, over the frequent changes in the national team’s leadership structure.

National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) spokesperson Najeebullah Hasan confirmed that Latif appeared on Wednesday, November 19, to record his statement in two separate inquiries in Islamabad and Lahore. Hasan stated that the probe was initiated after Syed Ali Naqvi, the PCB’s senior legal manager, submitted a formal complaint. The investigations commenced shortly after the complaint was filed.

"Former wicket keeper Rashid Latif has recorded his statement in two inquiries against him in Islamabad and Lahore," Hasan said in a statement as quoted by India Today.

"Shaheen Shah Afridi named ODI captain. Divide and rule policy is a political strategy to gain and maintain power by creating and exploiting divisions within a population, such as religious, ethnic, cricket teams or class differences,” Latif wrote on X.

He also stated that, in his view, Pakistan remained the only major cricketing nation unable to produce a reliable captain. Latif has been outspoken on various cricketing issues in recent months. During the Asia Cup 2025, he told The Times of India that the pressure surrounding the India-Pakistan fixture had intensified and that tensions between the two countries were now evident on the field as well.

He further suggested that off-field developments during the tournament were also contributing to a sense of unease, indicating that he himself was unsure about what was unfolding. Latif additionally commented on what he perceived as a widening cricketing gap between the two sides, arguing that while T20 cricket could produce unpredictable outcomes, India remained the stronger team overall.

He pointed to India’s domestic cricket structure and the scale of the IPL, which he believed created a significant disparity when compared with the PSL. In a separate development, another complaint has been filed against former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram for allegedly promoting a betting app. The NCCIA has not yet issued him a notice.