Naseem Shah has issued a public apology after being fined Rs20 million by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over a controversial social media post related to Maryam Nawaz.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the 23-year-old fast bowler clarified that the post was uploaded by his management team and did not represent his personal views. Despite this, he accepted full responsibility for the content published through his official account.
“A recent post from my account was made by my management team and does not reflect my views,” Naseem said while offering an unconditional apology.
PCB Takes Disciplinary Action
The PCB confirmed that disciplinary proceedings were initiated after the incident, stating that a show-cause notice was issued to the cricketer on March 27, 2026, citing violations of central contract clauses and social media guidelines.
Following Naseem’s written response, a three-member disciplinary committee conducted a personal hearing on March 30. After reviewing the matter, the board concluded that the player had breached multiple provisions of his central contract.
“Whilst noting the unconditional apology tendered, Naseem is found to have breached various clauses of his Central Contract and a fine of Rs2 crores has been imposed,” the PCB said in its official statement.
The board further revealed that Naseem Shah had terminated his social media adviser, who has now been blacklisted from working with any PCB-contracted players.
Controversy During PSL 11 Ceremony
The controversy began during the opening ceremony of Pakistan Super League Season 11 at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz attended as the guest of honor.
During the ceremony, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi welcomed her and introduced her to franchise owners and players while she extended best wishes to participating teams.
Shortly afterward, a post from Naseem Shah’s X account went viral. The now-deleted message quoted a PCB post showing Naqvi greeting Maryam Nawaz and read: “Why is she being treat like the queen at Lords?”
Viral Reaction and Clarification
The post quickly sparked widespread debate across social media and the cricket community. Initially, Naseem claimed his account had been hacked and that the message was not intentional. However, he later issued a formal apology, accepting responsibility for the incident.
The PCB emphasized that players representing Pakistan are expected to maintain professional conduct on and off the field, including responsible use of social media platforms.
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