Naseem Shah slapped with largest fine in Pakistan cricket history

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has slapped fast bowler Naseem Shah with Rs2 crore fine for breaching his central contract and violating social media guidelines.

The pacer has issued an unconditional apology and immediately terminated his social media adviser, who is now blacklisted from working with any contracted player by the PCB, reports Pakistan Observer.

Naseem was served a show-cause notice for “violating the terms of [his] central contract as well as the media policy and regulations.” The notice, issued under the board’s strict disciplinary framework, requires Naseem to respond within a specified timeframe, though the PCB did not reveal the exact deadline. The board added that any further action would be decided after reviewing his response.

The PCB stressed its commitment to upholding professional standards, contractual obligations, and the integrity of the game. While the exact nature of the violations was not disclosed, the controversy erupted just a day after the glittering opening night of the 11th HBL Pakistan Super League, which was attended by Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz.

The drama began when Naseem posted a video of Maryam Nawaz from the event on his X account, captioning it: “Why is she treated like a queen at Lords?” The post was quickly deleted, followed by another claiming that his account had been hacked but was now recovered.

The sensational episode has sparked intense debate on social media, raising questions about player conduct, accountability, and the PCB’s strict approach to maintaining professional decorum.