PCB’s public spat ends after Rashid Latif ‘unconditionally’ withdraws comments against board

Former Pakistan Test captain Rashid Latif ended the saga he began after apologising on Saturday for fiery comments made against the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) policies, which he termed “an error of judgement”.

Latif’s comments on surrogate advertising and removal of Mohammad Rizwan from ODI captaincy had prompted PCB to lodge a complaint against the former captain with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which summoned Latif to appear before an investigation officer at its Lahore office  on Nov 17.

Later, Rashid had also moved the Islamabad High Court against the inquiry, terming it illegal and saying it was issued without lawful authority and was liable to be quashed.

In a lengthy post on X today, Latif clarified that his “principal contention” was related to potential violations of the advisories issued by the Pakistani government.

“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,” Latif said.

He admitted “an error of judgement” when he commented on the removal of Rizwan from ODI captaincy.

“I acknowledge that I made an unwarranted reference to Mohammad Rizwan’s public support for Palestine as a potential factor in his removal from captaincy.

“Upon further reflection, I recognise that this assumption was inappropriate, unfounded, and not supported by any credible evidence.”

Latif said he deeply regretted any distress or offence that his comments may have caused to the general public or to the PCB more specifically.

“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,” he continued in his post.

“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.”

The 57-year-old, who often appears on TV as a sports analyst, further said: “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.”

Former PCB chairman Najam Sethi came to Latif’s defence, albeit untimely.

In a now-deleted post on X, Sethi said he was “shocked at the trumped up FIA against Latif” and urged cricket administrators “to desist from such repressive tactics and expect the judiciary to protect our freedoms”.

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi responded to Sethi on X for his “misplaced, ill-timed, and factually incorrect” comments.

“The PCB’s action against Rashid Latif was never about silencing criticism, it was about addressing the deliberate spread of false and defamatory allegations,” he said in a post on X.

“Our proceedings have remained fully within the law and focused solely on protecting the integrity of Pakistan cricket and its players.

Naqvi further stated that the board welcomes Latif’s apology and offered a clean slate to the former cricketer.

“We do not use any other means to silence those who criticise the Board. We protect Pakistan cricket and its assets,” Naqvi concluded.