The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fined fast bowler Naseem Shah PKR 20 million for a controversial social media post questioning the presence of a senior political figure at the opening match of the Pakistan Super League, which began behind closed doors last week.
The controversy stems from events at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where Punjab Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz attended the opening match as a state guest. Nawaz, along with other dignitaries, was introduced to officials of all eight franchises and players ahead of the match between defending champions Lahore Qalandars and tournament newcomers Hyderabad Kingsmen.
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Naseem responded to the ceremony by posting on X, writing: “Why is she being treated like a queen at Lord’s?” The remark was widely interpreted as a criticism of Nawaz’s reception on the ground. The post was deleted shortly after it was posted, with the fast bowler later claiming that his account had been hacked.
The PCB quickly intervened and issued a warning Naseem for breach of terms its central contract, as well as violations of the board’s media policy and code of conduct. The 21-year-old apologized unconditionally and appeared before a three-member disciplinary panel in Lahore on Monday.
In its official statement, the PCB said that Naseem was found to have “violated various clauses of his central contract”. The board added that the player has already terminated the activities of his adviser on social networks. The consultant will also be blacklisted from working with any cricketer under PCB’s jurisdiction.
The incident took place during a challenging period for cricket in Pakistan. The current PSL season is being played without spectators due to the wider regional impact of the Iran conflict. Rising fuel costs and government advisories have led authorities to restrict travel and promote work-from-home measures. As a result, the tournament, which was originally scheduled to be played at six venues, was restricted to Lahore and Karachi.
This is not the first case of disciplinary action related to political speech in Pakistan cricket. In 2025, Pakistan all-rounder Aamer Jamal was fined $4,000 for displaying a slogan in support of former prime minister Imran Khan.
On the field, Naseem endured a tough start to the PSL season with new franchise Rawalpindi PindiZ. He returned figures of 0 for 51 in their five-wicket loss against Peshawar Zalm. Despite this controversy, he remains a key figure in Pakistan’s pace attack, taking 152 wickets in 20 Tests, 34 ODIs and 37 T20Is.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
30 March 2026 20:28 IST
