Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has sparked controversy even before taking to the field in PSL 2026 where he will represent Rawalpindi Pindies. The fast bowler sparked controversy after posting a sarcastic comment on the opening day of the tournament. Maryam NawazChief Minister Punjab, at x.Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz was the chief guest at the opening match of 2026. Pakistan Super League PSL at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. In the opening match of PSL 2026, the newly formed team Hyderabad Kingsmen faced the defending champions Pakistan Qalandars. Before the match, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi gave a warm welcome to Maryam who introduced her to the franchise owners participating in the tournament.After PCB shared a video of Naqvi congratulating Maryam on X, Naseem re-shared the clip with a controversial comment that quickly went viral on social media.“Why is she being treated like a queen at Lord’s?” The Pakistan fast bowler had asked on X. The tweet was soon deleted but it had already gone viral on social media, mobilizing Pakistan fans.
Soon after the post was deleted, Naseem issued an explanation on X, saying: “This Naseem account was recently hacked but has now been successfully recovered.”
Despite the controversy, no legal action has been taken so far and Naseem Shah is expected to continue playing for Rawalpindi Pindis, who are making their PSL debut this season.
The PSL season started with a strange incident where Hyderabad Kingsmen’s jersey color turned the white ball pink and red during the match against Lahore Qalandars. Captain of Hyderabad Kingsmen Marnus Leboschgen reported the issue to the umpires, later derided it as a “pink ball contest” on social media.“I said to the umpires after the second over, ‘What’s going on? The ball is red.’ It should be made of cloth or something similar. I’ve never seen anything like this before, I’ve seen occasions when something on the bat hits the ball, or when it hits the pad and takes a little paint off. But I’ve never seen that happen with clothing. I’m sure they’ll sort it out in the next few games,” a surprised Labuschagne told reporters at the post-match press conference.
