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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has served a show-cause notice to fast bowler Naseem Shah for allegedly breaching the terms of his central contract following a controversial social media post targeting Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
In an official statement, the PCB stated that Naseem’s now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter) appeared to criticise Nawaz and could constitute a violation of both the board’s code of conduct and media regulations. The board added that any disciplinary action would be decided after reviewing the player’s response.
The incident occurred ahead of the opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), where Naseem, representing Rawalpindi Pindiz, seemingly took aim at Nawaz’s presence at the stadium. The controversy gained traction after PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had earlier announced that matches would be held without spectators due to fuel conservation measures linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing West Asia crisis.
Despite the no-spectator directive, several high-profile figures attended the opening fixture at Gaddafi Stadium. Maryam Nawaz—daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and niece of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif—arrived with a large security convoy and interacted with players from both Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen.
Naseem’s post, which quote-tweeted a PCB media update, read: “Why is she treated like the Queen at Lord’s?” The post was deleted within minutes and replaced with a clarification claiming that his account had been hacked and later recovered.
However, the PCB has not been convinced by the explanation. In its statement, the board indicated that Naseem’s actions may fall under clause 2.23 of its code of conduct, which prohibits public criticism or inappropriate comments about the board, its officials, or related stakeholders.
This development reflects the PCB’s increasingly strict stance on political expression by players. In a similar case last year, allrounder Aamer Jamal was fined over PKR 1 million for displaying a slogan in support of former Prime Minister Imran Khan during a training session.
Jamal had appeared with “804” written on his hat—widely known as Imran Khan’s prisoner number since his incarceration in August 2023—which has since become a symbol among his supporters.
Naseem Shah is expected to feature in Rawalpindi Pindiz’s upcoming clash against Peshawar Zalmi, even as the PCB reviews the matter and considers potential disciplinary measures.
