Pakistan’s campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup ended in disappointment, with the team falling short of a semi-final berth and now facing an off-field controversy involving a member of the squad.
According to a report by Telecom Asia Sport, an unnamed Pakistan player was fined by team management after allegedly misbehaving with a female housekeeping staff member at the Golden Crown Hotel in Pallekele, Kandy, where the team was staying during the Super 8 stage.
The alleged incident reportedly occurred shortly before Pakistan’s final Super 8 fixture against Sri Lanka. During a routine housekeeping visit, the player is said to have behaved inappropriately, prompting the staff member to raise an alarm. Hotel employees rushed to her assistance after hearing the commotion, and the matter was subsequently reported to Pakistan team manager Navaid Cheema.
Senior hotel officials were reportedly upset and initially sought strict action. However, the matter was resolved internally after Cheema apologized to the hotel management on behalf of the player and imposed a financial penalty for misconduct.
“Before Pakistan’s last Super Eight match against Sri Lanka, a Pakistan World Cup squad player misbehaved with a female housekeeping staff member. The staff shouted and called for help, at which the hotel staff came to her rescue and reported the matter to Pakistan team manager Navaid Cheema. The top management of Golden Crown Hotel wanted the matter to be dealt with strongly, but Cheema apologized on behalf of the player and fined him for misbehaviour,” the report stated.
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While the player’s identity has not been disclosed, further action could follow. The matter is expected to be reviewed by the disciplinary committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board once the team returns home, with additional sanctions possible depending on the findings of an internal inquiry.
The controversy comes amid growing criticism of Pakistan’s performance in the tournament. Despite edging Sri Lanka by five runs in their final Super 8 match, Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals due to an inferior net run-rate after an inconsistent campaign.
This is not the first time Pakistan cricket has faced off-field issues on overseas tours. In the past, batter Haider Ali encountered legal trouble during a Pakistan Shaheens tour of England, though he was later released due to insufficient evidence. In a separate incident, team masseur Malang Ali was fined for inappropriate behavior involving a female staff member during a tour of Malaysia several years ago.
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