As soon as Pakistani star Naseem Shah expressed his political views on social media by criticizing Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, he found himself in a difficult situation. According to latest media reports, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a fine of PKR 20 million on fast bowler Naseem Shah for a controversial social media post.
The cricketer deleted the social media post soon after it came into the public domain, but by then it had attracted a lot of attention, including the attention of the PCB, which is headed by Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the interior minister of the Pakistan government.
Why is there controversy regarding Naseem Shah?
Ahead of the Pakistan Super League 2026 season, Naqvi said that, due to limited fuel resources and conflict in Middle Eastern countries, PSL 2026 matches will be held without spectators.
However, for the opening match of the season, there were some notable guests in the stadium to watch Lahore Qalandars vs Hyderabad Kingsmen at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was one of the notable guests present in the gallery to watch the match live.
Maryam also talked to the players of both the teams. She entered the field with heavy protocol, which must have made Naseem Shah very angry. Criticizing the country’s top policy, the Pakistan fast bowler wrote on his ‘X’ post, “Why is she treated like a queen at Lord’s?”
Naseem deleted the post
As soon as he realized that the act post could cause serious backlash, he removed it from his timeline, saying that his profile had been hacked for some time. His excuses did not melt the ice as the Pakistan Cricket Board soon issued a statement accusing the star fast bowler of violating the code of conduct.
It is noteworthy that Maryam Nawaz is the daughter of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif and niece of the current Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
According to an ESPN report, “It appears to relate to clause 2.23 of the PCB’s Code of Conduct. It states that public criticism or inappropriate comments of the Board, any of its officials or sponsors or its policies, the ICC or any of its officials or sponsors, players, player support personnel or match officials, including umpires and match referees, is not permitted, regardless of when such criticism or inappropriate comments are made”.
PCB issues orders for strict action against Naseen Shah
As per the latest update regarding Naseem Shah’s controversial act, Pakistan Cricket Governing Board has imposed a fine of Rs 2 crore on Naseem Shah for violating the central contract and social media guidelines. It has also been further claimed that the accused fast bowler has tendered an unconditional apology after the disciplinary proceedings.
Additionally, taking a step further, and to prevent any unnecessary stance on social media in the future, Naseem Shah’s social media consultant has been sacked and as per the latest reports, he will be blacklisted from working with any contracted player.
Read More: Lahore Qalandars fine Shaheen Shah Afridi over security concerns
