Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket return is now official: the Pakistan Cricket Board has cleared the opener to feature in the final round of the President’s Trophy Grade-I, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has received the same go-ahead. The Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket clearance, confirmed by departmental officials and PCB sources over the weekend, ends weeks of uncertainty for the two senior players, who had been kept out of the first-class tournament amid an ongoing investigation.
The clearance: Imam and Rizwan back for the final round
The Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket permission was made official by the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), with Farah Batool, president of the OGDCL sports department, telling Dawn that Imam would play the final-round match of the President’s Trophy after receiving directions from the PCB. Sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board also confirmed the development.
Mohammad Rizwan’s return was confirmed by Mohammad Hafeez, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) director of cricket, who said the former Pakistan captain would represent the department from October 19 after receiving clearance from the PCB’s director of domestic cricket. The President’s Trophy Grade-I final round begins on Monday, October 19, 2026, making the timing of the clearances significant.
According to Dawn, the PCB — “apparently taking a step back quietly” — allowed both players to represent their respective teams without issuing any official statement of its own. Both cricketers had been under investigation by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for alleged betting and gambling activities following Pakistan’s defeat in the second Test against England earlier this year.
The Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket green light came alongside Rizwan’s clearance, making Monday’s final round the most-watched domestic fixture of the season.
Where they will play: OGDCL vs Ghani Glass, SNGPL vs KRL
Imam-ul-Haq will represent OGDCL in the final round, with the department scheduled to face Ghani Glass in Lahore, according to Geo News sources. The Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket comeback therefore begins in familiar surroundings, with the opener returning to the departmental side he has long represented.
Mohammad Rizwan, meanwhile, is set to captain SNGPL against Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi. Hafeez said that if available, Rizwan would lead the side in the match, indicating that there is no longer any bar on the wicketkeeper-batter and that his participation now depends on his own availability. Rizwan had joined the SNGPL squad earlier and taken part in a training session and a team meeting, before the PCB directed the department to send him back while the inquiry was still ongoing.
For OGDCL and SNGPL, the availability of two established international players could significantly strengthen their batting line-ups during the decisive stage of the eight-team first-class tournament — and the Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket return gives the Lahore side a proven top-order anchor for the final round.
The Lord’s fallout: seven players sent home from England
The road to the Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket return began in August 2026, when Imam and Rizwan were among seven Pakistan players withdrawn from the squad midway through the England tour. The PCB recalled the players after Pakistan lost the second Test at Lord’s by 194 runs; the tourists went on to lose the three-match series 3-0.
Imam’s “fake injury” row and the criticism that followed
Imam’s case drew particular attention after he sustained a low-grade strain in his left calf while fielding on the opening day of the Lord’s Test. The opener did not bat in either innings, a decision that raised immediate questions about the nature and severity of the injury. Former England pacer Stuart Broad harshly criticised the episode after Imam was spotted practising his batting with a heavily wrapped calf, calling the public display “all for show.”
Explosive claims followed. Former Pakistan chief selector Mohammad Wasim said Imam had a long history of faking injuries, adding that a team physiotherapist had warned him beforehand about Imam faking an injury during the 2022 Multan Test. The controversy turned a fitness matter into a question of the player’s credibility — and the Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket return now carries the full weight of that scrutiny.
The NCCIA probe and what happens next
Upon their return to Pakistan, both Imam and Rizwan were summoned by the NCCIA for questioning as part of an inquiry into alleged leaks of dressing-room information and betting-related activity. According to reports, the investigation involved material obtained from their mobile phones — Rizwan’s phone was taken into the agency’s possession in England on August 31, and he was summoned to Lahore on October 2, where he was grilled for more than three hours. Some reports suggest both players face allegations under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).
The pair were subsequently barred from participating in domestic cricket, with the PCB initially citing their failure to submit mandatory fitness-test reports to their respective departmental teams. It later emerged that the real reason was the NCCIA probe. Rizwan also asked the PCB for a no-objection certificate to play the Nepal League, but the board only allowed him to feature in domestic cricket, and denied his request to use the National Cricket Academy.
The Imam-ul-Haq domestic cricket clearance does not, however, guarantee an international return. With the President’s Trophy entering its final round, the spotlight will now be on how both players perform after an unsettled period away from competitive cricket — performances that could shape the PCB’s selection decisions for upcoming assignments. Their return to the field offers them a chance to rebuild rhythm, regain momentum and let their bats do the talking after months of headlines for the wrong reasons.
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