Rashid, PCB’s spat ends as former captain issues public apology
KARACHI: The long-standing standoff between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Rashid Latif ended Saturday after the former national cricketer ‘unconditionally’ withdrew from his previous remarks about the cricket board.
The standoff emerged when Latif linked Mohammad Rizwan’s dismissal from the national men’s team’s ODI captaincy with the wicketkeeper batter’s public support for Palestine, prompting the PCB to lodge a complaint against the former cricketer with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
Latif, as a result, was summoned to appear before an investigation officer at NCCIA’s Lahore office on November 17. The former wicketkeeper batter later moved the Islamabad High Court against the inquiry, labelling it as unlawful. Meanwhile, as per the latest development, Latif wrote a detailed public apology on microblogging website X, formerly Twitter, stating that his comments were not intended to allege any player, board member or stakeholders involved in wrongdoing.
“I write with reference to my recent comments made on social media and in interviews concerning surrogate advertising. My principal contention was related to potential violations of the advisories upon such advertising issued by the Government of Pakistan,” Latif wrote.
“At no point, whether inadvertently or deliberately, have I ever sought or intended to implicate any individual including players, board members, or other stakeholders in wrongdoing,” he added.
“I deeply regret any distress or offence that my comments may have caused to the general public, or more specifically, to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and its officials. I offer my sincere apologies for any unintended harm arising from my remarks which I withdraw unconditionally and affirm that no such harm was ever intended,” Latif stated. “Going forward, I shall endeavour to ensure that my public commentary remains measured, evidence-based, and free from conjecture, particularly when addressing matters of sensitivity or issues that may carry significant implications. “I am an advocate of responsible broadcasting, research-based journalism, and objective analysis. Having had the honour of serving as captain of the Pakistan national cricket team, I hold the reputation and dignity of the country in the highest regard and would never intentionally act in a manner that could bring disrepute upon it. I endeavour to participate in public discourse in a manner that is fair, balanced, and constructive.”
In response to his public apology, former PCB Chairman Najam Sethi came to his defence, but deleted the post after Mohsin Naqvi termed his comments “completely misplaced, ill-timed and factually incorrect”. “[Najam Sethi], your comments are completely misplaced, ill-timed, and factually incorrect,” wrote Naqvi on X, accompanied by Sethi’s now-deleted tweet.
“The PCB’s action against Rashid Latif was never about silencing criticism, it was about addressing the deliberate spread of false and defamatory allegations. Our proceedings have remained fully within the law and focused solely on protecting the integrity of Pakistan cricket and its players,” Naqvi explained. He also stated that the PCB welcomed Latif’s apology, reiterating that the board members are committed to “protecting” Pakistan cricket and its assets.
“Rashid Latif has apologised in his tweet today, clearly affirming the Board’s stance. We welcome his apology and offer a clean slate,” Naqvi stated. “We do not use any other means to silence those who criticise the Board. We protect Pakistan cricket and its assets.” Web Desk
