Naseem Shah Criticizes Politician's Presence at PSL Match
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reprimanded fast bowler Naseem Shah for his public criticism of a politician attending the opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which was conducted without spectators due to ongoing restrictions.
Due to the current circumstances, fans are prohibited from attending the matches of the nation's premier domestic tournament, which has been scaled down from its original six venues to just two locations: Lahore and Karachi.
On Thursday, the Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, was a guest at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. She, along with other dignitaries, was welcomed and introduced to the officials of the eight participating franchises and players prior to the inaugural match featuring the defending champions, Lahore Qalandars, against the newcomer Hyderabad Kingsmen.
In response to a tweet from the PCB about the opening game, Shah remarked on social media platform X, “Why is she treated like the queen at Lord’s?” This comment seemingly alluded to Nawaz's presence at the stadium. Soon after, he deleted the tweet, asserting that his account had been compromised.
The PCB subsequently issued a statement indicating that Shah had been delivered a notice for breaching the conditions of his central contract along with the media policy and regulations.
“The show-cause notice has been served in accordance with the PCB’s disciplinary framework,” the PCB declared. “Naseem Shah is required to provide a response within the stipulated time. Upon receipt and review of his response, the PCB will determine any additional actions in accordance with the regulations.”
In a similar context last year, Pakistani all-rounder Aamer Jamal faced a penalty of $4,000 for displaying a slogan supportive of Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, who is currently imprisoned.
Naseem Shah is set to represent the newly formed PSL franchise Rawalpindi Pindiz in their upcoming match against Peshawar Zalmi, led by the former captain of the national team across all formats, Babar Azam.
Background
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has led to significant increases in fuel prices throughout the region, prompting the Pakistani government to advise citizens to limit travel and work remotely wherever possible.
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