Star Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah issued a public apology on Monday after being fined Rs20 million by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over a controversial social media post.
The 23-year-old fast bowler said on X, formerly Twitter, that the post was made by his management team and did not reflect his personal views.
The right-arm bowler stated that he takes full responsibility for his social media platform, despite the post being shared without his direct involvement.
Naseem, who represent Rawalpindi team in PSL, added that necessary changes have been implemented to ensure such incidents do not occur again on his account in the future.
Record Fine
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board imposed what is believed to be the largest fine in Pakistan cricket history over a controversial social media post.
The penalty was issued against Naseem Shah following a post concerning Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz shared from his official account.
A show cause notice was issued to him on 27 March 2026, seeking a response to the allegedly inappropriate content posted publicly.
After receiving his reply, a three-member disciplinary committee held a hearing on 30 March 2026 to review breaches of contractual and social media rules.
Apology and Adviser Termination Do Not Reduce Fine
The committee confirmed that Shah terminated his social media adviser, who has been blacklisted by the PCB from associating with any national players under its jurisdiction.
The disciplinary committee imposed the Rs20 million fine on the 23-year-old pacer, noting that the adviser’s termination did not mitigate Shah’s responsibility under PCB regulations.
The PCB emphasised that professional standards, contractual obligations, and integrity of the game remain a priority, and similar breaches will continue to be addressed through formal disciplinary measures.
Controversial PSL Opening Tweet Sparks Social Media Debate
The controversy arose during the Pakistan Super League 11 opening ceremony at the Gaddafi Stadium, which Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz attended as the official guest of honour.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi welcomed Maryam Nawaz at the event and introduced her to franchise owners, officials, and players prior to the curtain-raiser match of the tournament.
Shortly afterward, a quote retweet appeared from Naseem Shah’s X account, showing the chairman greeting the Chief Minister, accompanied by a comment questioning why she received such attention.
The now-deleted message read, “Why is she being treat like the queen at Lords?” and generated widespread discussion and debate across social media platforms in Pakistan.
Naseem Shah clarified that his social media account had been hacked and insisted the post was not intentional, attributing the issue entirely to a security breach.
PCB Tightens Rules on Political Expression
The PCB has adopted a stricter stance, enforcing rules against political expression by cricketers, following previous disciplinary action involving allrounder Aamer Jamal last year notably.
Jamal was fined more than PKR 1 million, approximately USD 4000, after displaying a slogan supporting former prime minister and ex-Pakistan captain Imran Khan publicly.
During a training session in the home Test series against England, Jamal wore “804” on his hat, referencing Imran Khan’s prisoner number since August 2023.
The fine imposed on Naseem Shah is over sixteen times higher than Jamal’s penalty, equating to roughly eight months of his current central contract salary.
