PCB Issues Show-Cause Notice to Naseem Shah Over Deleted Social Media Post

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has initiated disciplinary proceedings against fast bowler Naseem Shah following a controversial post on the social media platform X. The post, which was quickly deleted, appeared to criticize Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during the opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The Incident at Gaddafi Stadium

Maryam Nawaz attended the PSL opening match as a guest of honor. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi formally welcomed her and introduced her to the participating franchise owners. Shortly after the event, Naseem Shah quote-tweeted a post from the official PCB media account, asking, “Why is she treated like the Queen at Lord’s?”

The post was deleted minutes later. A subsequent message on Shah’s account claimed his profile had been compromised and recently recovered. Despite this defense, the PCB issued a formal show-cause notice, asserting that the player violated the central contract terms and media regulations.

Code of Conduct Violations

While the PCB has not publicly specified the exact regulation, the notice reportedly falls under Clause 2.23 of the PCB Code of Conduct. This clause prohibits contracted personnel from making public criticisms or inappropriate comments regarding:

• The Board, its officials, sponsors, or policies
• The International Cricket Council (ICC), its officers, or sponsors
• Fellow players, support personnel, or match officials

Precedents for Disciplinary Action

The PCB maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding political statements by centrally contracted players. The board previously intervened when players displayed unauthorized political slogans or symbols on field equipment during international fixtures, emphasizing the strict separation of sports and political discourse. Failure to adhere to these guidelines typically results in heavy financial penalties or match suspensions.

Naseem Shah Profile and Career Statistics

Naseem Shah remains a primary fast bowler for the national team across all three formats. Before his current Pakistan Super League campaign, he successfully recovered from multiple injury setbacks to resume his position in the national pace attack. He is expected to take the field in today’s fixture against Peshawar Zalmi pending further disciplinary review.

Statistics verified via ESPNcricinfo player records.

The PCB stated that final disciplinary action will be determined after Shah formally responds to the show-cause notice and the internal hearing process concludes.