The Rawalpindi Pindiz Owner Ahsan Tahir has rejected claims that he threatened to withdraw the franchise from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) if Mohammad Rizwan was prevented from playing cricket, distancing himself from statements circulated amid the ongoing National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) inquiry.
The claims had linked Tahir’s future involvement in the PSL with Rizwan’s availability and suggested that the Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter had been an important factor in his decision to acquire the franchise.
Tahir responds publicly to claims
Tahir addressed the issue through his account on X after the disputed comments were attributed to him. The Pindiz Owner Ahsan Tahir wrote on X: “FAKE NEWS! Any statements being attributed to me regarding Mohammad Rizwan or the ongoing NCCIA matter are false and fabricated. I have issued no statement on the matter.”
FAKE NEWS!
Any statements being attributed to me regarding @iMRizwanPak or the ongoing #NCCIA matter are false and fabricated.
I have issued no statement on the matterhttps://t.co/deFylcCrZf— Ahsan Tahir (@M_Ahsan_Tahir) September 23, 2026
Tahir’s post quoted a Geo article carrying the claims. That article has since been deleted.
The Pindiz subsequently issued its own official statement on X. The franchise stated: “To be unequivocally clear: Mr. Tahir has issued no statement whatsoever on this matter. The remarks published and attributed to him were not made by him and are entirely fabricated.”
🚨 Important!#WeThePindiz #MadeOfPindi pic.twitter.com/Xh6RkKWPh5
— RawalPINDIZ (@thepindiz) September 23, 2026
The Pindiz seeks correction and apology
The franchise also outlined the action it had taken in response to the disputed attribution. The Pindiz stated: “The Pindiz has formally called upon the media organisation concerned to immediately retract the fabricated attribution, publish a clear correction, and issue an appropriate public apology.”
The franchise’s intervention concerns the statements attributed to Tahir rather than the merits or outcome of the separate NCCIA inquiry involving Rizwan.
Rizwan inquiry remains ongoing
Rizwan and Pakistan batter Imam-ul-Haq appeared before the NCCIA earlier this month as part of an inquiry concerning allegations involving online betting and gambling in Pakistan cricket.
The Lahore High Court has allowed the inquiry to continue and directed Rizwan to cooperate with the process while instructing the agency not to harass him. The court has also established that receiving a call-up notice is a procedural step used to gather information and does not itself establish wrongdoing.
No final finding against Rizwan has been officially announced in the NCCIA matter. The Pindiz’s response remains focused on the statements attributed to Tahir while that separate inquiry continues.
