Rizwan, Imam ruled out of domestic cricket

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan cricketers Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq have been rendered ineligible for domestic cricket after failing to provide mandatory fitness-test reports to their respective departmental teams, according to sources.

The development means both players will not be able to feature in the President’s Trophy Grade I, creating an unexpected setback for two prominent names in Pakistan’s domestic setup.

Sources said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made fitness testing and submission of the relevant reports a compulsory requirement for players appearing in first-class cricket. However, neither Rizwan nor Imam underwent the required fitness tests through their departments, leaving their teams without the documentation needed for their participation.

The absence of fitness records has consequently made both players ineligible under the applicable domestic cricket regulations.

The timing is particularly significant for Rizwan, who serves as vice-captain of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL). He was expected to lead the side in the opening round because regular captain Shan Masood is unavailable.

SNGPL are scheduled to begin their campaign against State Bank of Pakistan on Saturday.

Imam, meanwhile, is the captain of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), who are also scheduled to face Pakistan Television (PTV) in their opening match.

The latest development comes amid a period of scrutiny for both players. Rizwan and Imam were recently called back from Pakistan’s ongoing England tour, with investigations reportedly underway against the two cricketers.

Their mobile phones are also undergoing forensic analysis as part of the investigation, according to reports.

For now, the fitness-test issue has added another complication to their immediate cricketing future. With their domestic participation blocked, both players face uncertainty over when they will next return to competitive action.

The episode also highlights the PCB’s increasingly strict emphasis on fitness documentation as it seeks to enforce uniform standards across Pakistan’s first-class cricket structure.