Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah has been fined around $72,000 or PKR 20 million for his post on X which was critical of Punjab's (Pakistan's Punjab province) chief minister Maryam Nawaz. According to ESPNCricinfo, this is the heaviest fine levied in Pakistani cricket history.
The bowler has now deleted the post from the platform. Shah's post criticised Nawaz ahead of the first match of the 2026 season of Pakistan Super League (PSL) on March 26. The league's opening match was played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The match was attended by several dignitaries, including Nawaz. The videos of the dignitaries attending the match was then shared on various social media platforms.
Also Read | PSL 2026: Fakhar Zaman Charged With Ball Tampering, Faces Possible Two-Match Ban
Shah then quoted one of the PCB post and wrote: "Why is she treated like the Queen at Lord's?” The post was deleted within minutes. Soon there was another post from his account which said that the account was hacked and it has now been recovered.
There was another post from the bowler which said the concerned post (critical of Nawaz), was put out by his management and does not reflect his views and corrective actions have been taken.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) issued a statement on the matter and said Shah appeared before a three-member disciplinary committee, where he issued an unconditional apology and dismissed his social media manager. The board added that the manager had been blacklisted from working with any cricketer under their purview.
Despite the cricketer issuing the apology the board did not reduce the fine.
Nawaz is the daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and niece of current Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old cricketer is occupied playing in the PSL where he is representing Rawalpindiz, one of the two new franchises that have joined the league this year.
ALSO READ | Mohamed Salah In MLS? Egypt National Team Director Cautions Star Against Move
Pakistan Cricket Board recent history of fining its players
The PCB is increasingly fining its players in recent times. Last year, all-rounder Aamer Jamal was fined over PKR 1 million (approx. $4,000) for displaying support for former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a training session, turning up with “804”, Khan's prisoner number, written under his floppy hat.
Earlier this month, every member of Pakistan's 2026 T20 World Cup squad was fined PKR 5 million (approx. $18,000) for the team's poor performance in the tournament. The team exited the World Cup after the Super Eight stage.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
