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Pakistan cricket's latest drama about the Test team leaves one wondering whether players' mobile phones have been confiscated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

According to a report by Pakistani journalist Amber Ali of 365 News, the PCB has reportedly taken possession of the players' mobile phones, though the report does not say which players were affected or why.

The report's vagueness about the issue is actually what makes it so intriguing.

To date, the PCB has made no official statement linking this matter to any anti-corruption probe, disciplinary hearing, or other issue. Nothing suggests what the authorities are actually looking for.

So, the mystery about the Pakistan cricket team continues as the troubled tourists begin their third Test match against England.

What exactly has happened with Pakistan?

The news of the reported seizure of the phones comes at a time when Pakistan's Test setup is undergoing one of its most significant mid-series upgrades in recent memory.

The details of the development, however, are sparse.

Despite the phones reportedly being seized, there has been no information on the players whose devices were taken, how long they have been in PCB's possession or why the move was made.

More crucially, there has been no confirmation that the PCB suspects any player of wrongdoing.

That nuance matters. The fact that mobile phones were reportedly taken does not necessarily mean an ongoing anti-corruption investigation.

Without an explanation from the PCB, making any assumption of an anti-corruption probe would be premature.

That said, ICC regulations regarding mobile phones are fairly broad to begin with.

Regulations concerning Player and Match Officials Areas prohibit players and support staff from possessing or using mobile phones and other means of communication within these restricted areas, especially during matches.

The reasoning behind the rules is to preserve the integrity and sanctity of the game, and prevent unauthorized communication from taking place in restricted areas, including dressing rooms.

However, there is a world of difference between being prohibited from using a phone in a restricted area, and the phone being taken by the authorities for investigation.

The situations are not the same, and the consequences are different as a result.

Can the cricket authorities access a player's phone?

The ICC Anti-Corruption Code grants significantly more powers to an authorized anti-corruption official, should there be an ongoing integrity probe or a player is under suspicion for a breach of the code.

Should the appropriate requirements be in place, an authorized anti-corruption official can order a participant to surrender a mobile device or allow investigators to copy or download any information from it, if there are justifiable grounds for believing it could impact an investigation or its participants.

The potential sources of information a phone can carry are vast, ranging from call records, internet browsing history, SMSes, WhatsApp chats, photographs and videos, audio recordings and other stored electronic data.

Participants may also be required to give passwords or access codes to unlock the information. Refusing to cooperate with an anti-corruption investigation can also be a potential disciplinary offense depending on the circumstances of the case.

That said, once again, none of it proves the PCB's latest development has anything to do with an anti-corruption probe. The regulations clarify what officials can do if appropriate requirements are in place – but the rules do not confirm why Pakistan's players' phones have reportedly been seized.

The question that looms largest around the reported development is not whether cricket authorities can look into a player's phone – they can, provided there are justifiable grounds for doing so.

The bigger mystery is why the PCB reportedly took these phones at this point in time.

If the move relates to an ongoing investigation, there is little doubt that the nature and extent of that investigation will have bearing on what exactly the authorities are looking for.

There could also be other reasons for the PCB's decision. The player's contract with the Pakistan Cricket Board or the team management and support staff could provide further grounds for a national board to take similar steps or apply further disciplinary procedures. There is, however, no public mention of any such regulations in this context.

Another crucial factor to bear in mind is the distinction between responsibilities of the PCB and the ICC.

The ICC's Integrity Unit falls under the global Anti-Corruption Code. By contrast, national cricket boards have individual autonomy and authority, in relation to domestic cricket and internal team administration, in particular. So until the PCB explains, it is too early to speculate in what capacity or under what authority it took these steps.

A phone controversy in the middle of a much bigger crisis. The timing of the alleged phone seizure is what elevates the development from a routine off-field controversy to a matter of concern.

Pakistan traveled to England with dreams of winning the Test series, and, for the moment, they seem to be watching themselves in a relegating series.

After two consecutive Test defeats, the PCB made mass changes to the touring squad ahead of the decisive match in the series.

Seven players, Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad, were removed from the team before the crucial match, while the coaching staff underwent a major reshuffling, with Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke.

Subsequent additions to the squad only underlined the degree of reorganization as Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas and Saad Baig were added to the squad, along with Muhammad Randhawa, Razaullah and Muhammad Imran Jr.

In other words – right in the thick of a Test series, Pakistan's Test team was being rebuilt. This latest development fits neatly into the pattern of controversy that has surrounded the Pakistan team for much of this tour.

What comes next?

At this point, there are far more questions than answers.

As it stands, the PCB has neither explained why the move was taken, nor clarified which players were affected – or potentially even if any investigation into match-fixing, betting or other misconduct took place.

At the same time, there has also not been an official accusation made against any player.

Essentially, then, it all comes down to this: the circumstances surrounding the reported seizure of the mobile phones are not confirmed, and Pakistan's cricket administrators appear to be withholding information.

The third Test against England is set to commence at Edgbaston on September 9, and Pakistan trails 2-0 in the series. That is when a side usually expects to make a change for the next match, to turn things around and win the series. Pakistan has instead made more off-field changes than it has made on the field.

Whether it proves to be a routine issue or something else entirely is something Pakistan's cricket body will need to reveal soon. The off-field questions around Pakistan's players' phones are piling up, as well.