Naseem Shah learns Punishment from PCB after Maryam Nawaz 'Queen' Controversy in PSL 2026

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Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has landed in fresh controversy after a now-deleted social media post questioning the special treatment given to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during the opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has swiftly issued him a show-cause notice, accusing the 23-year-old pacer of violating the terms of his central contract and the board's media policy and regulations.The incident occurred on March 26 at Gaddafi Stadium, where Maryam Nawaz was invited as the guest of honour for the PSL 11 opener between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen.

What did Naseem Shah Do?

A video of PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi greeting her and introducing her to players and franchise owners went viral.

Shortly after, Naseem Shah's official X account quote-tweeted the PCB media post with the remark: "Why is she treated like the Queen at Lord's?"

The comment was widely interpreted as criticism of the high-profile protocol extended to the chief minister amid reports of the tournament being played behind closed doors due to a fuel crisis.

Within minutes, the post was deleted. Naseem later claimed his account had been hacked and promptly recovered, issuing a clarification that the tweet was not from him. However, the explanation failed to satisfy the PCB. In an official statement issued on March 27, the board confirmed that Naseem had breached Clause 2.23 of its code of conduct, which prohibits public criticism of the board, its officials, sponsors, or associated policies.

The show-cause notice gives Naseem a specified timeframe to submit a written response. The PCB said it would determine further disciplinary action only after reviewing his reply, and on Monday, it announced Naseem's punishment for the alleged offense.

Naseem Shah learns Punishment

According to reports in Pakistan, Naseem Shah has been handed with multiple punishments.

Fine Imposed: Naseem Shah faced a 2 crore PKR penalty for violating his central contract and PCB social media guidelines, likely due to an inappropriate post targeting Maryam Nawaz.

Apology Issued: Following disciplinary proceedings, Naseem issued an unconditional public apology to Maryam Nawaz, acknowledging his mistake.

Adviser Terminated: His social media adviser was sacked immediately and barred from working with any other player in the future.