Kamal Ghorui
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a strict warning to its centrally contracted players against posting any content on social media without prior approval, following the controversy involving Naseem Shah.The board has reminded players and their managers of its social media rules, stating that any post of political nature will not be allowed. According to a Geo News report, the PCB has informed players that political posts will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and any violation could lead to a fine of at least PKR 10 million. As per the directive, centrally contracted players must take approval from the PCB’s media department before posting on social media.
The move comes after Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah was fined PKR 20 million (USD 72,000) for a now-deleted post during the opening match of the 2026 Pakistan Super League. His post had questioned the treatment given to Maryam Nawaz at the Gaddafi Stadium.“Why is she being treated like the Queen at Lords?” Naseem had posted in reference to Maryam, who is the daughter of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif.The PCB said its disciplinary committee found Naseem guilty of breaching clauses of his central contract and violating social media guidelines. He was issued a show-cause notice on March 27 after Maryam attended the PSL opening match as chief guest.Although the post was deleted and it was claimed that his account had been hacked, the board did not accept the explanation. It confirmed that Naseem had issued an unconditional apology.“Naseem’s reply was reviewed by the committee, and after evaluating everything, it has been determined that Naseem is found to have breached various clauses of his central contract, and a fine of PKR 2 crore has been imposed.”The PCB also said that Naseem’s social media adviser has been removed and blacklisted from working with any player under its system.
