Former Pakistan cricket captain Rashid Latif has issued an unconditional apology over his earlier controversial remarks regarding surrogate advertising and the removal of Mohammad Rizwan as ODI captain — prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to announce that the matter now stands closed.
In a detailed statement shared on social media, Latif clarified that his comments had stemmed from concerns about potential violations of government advisories on surrogate advertising. He stressed that he never intended to imply wrongdoing by any player, PCB official, or stakeholder, and regretted any misunderstanding caused.
Addressing his earlier claim that Rizwan’s public support for Palestine influenced the PCB’s decision to remove him as captain, Latif admitted this was an “error of judgement.” He described the assumption as “inappropriate, unfounded, and unsupported by any credible evidence,” retracting the statement in full.
Latif apologised for any distress caused by his remarks and reaffirmed his commitment to responsible, evidence-driven commentary. “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,” he said.
PCB Welcomes Apology, Says Proceedings Were Lawful
The PCB, which had earlier filed a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) over Latif’s statements, welcomed the apology and stated that it offers Latif a “clean slate.” The NCCIA had summoned Latif for questioning in Lahore on November 17 — a notice he challenged in the Islamabad High Court.
The matter escalated further when former PCB chairman Najam Sethi criticised the inquiry in a now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter). Responding to Sethi, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi rejected the criticism and said that the Board’s action was never about silencing dissent.
Naqvi said the inquiry was launched solely to address the “deliberate spread of false and defamatory allegations” and emphasised that the PCB does not employ any unlawful means to suppress criticism. He added that Latif’s apology reaffirmed the Board’s stance and brought the matter to a close.
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