Pakistani cricketer Shaheen Afridi is catching a lot of heat online after he praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir for helping mediate the US-Iran ceasefire. People on social media didn’t waste any time comparing this to what happened with his teammate, Naseem Shah. They’re wondering if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will fine Shaheen for speaking out politically, especially since Naseem recently got hit with a whopping PKR 2 crore fine after criticizing Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on social media. So far, PCB hasn’t said anything official about Shaheen’s post.
Shaheen’s message was pretty straightforward: “Proud to see Pakistan leading the way for the greater good of world peace. Truly encouraging to see our PM Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir pushing for dialogue and stability. A ceasefire is always a win for humanity, with Pakistan paving the way towards hope, unity, and lasting peace. I am a proud Pakistani. Pakistan always Zindabad.”
Not long ago, his team, the Lahore Qalandars, fined him PKR 1 million (about USD 3,600) after Punjab police accused him of breaking security protocols at their hotel. According to ESPNcricinfo, the Qalandars said they fined him to keep discipline and make sure players are accountable. Interestingly, Sikandar Raza, also named in the police report, didn’t face any action.
The issue started when both Raza and Shaheen were blamed for a security slip—four “unauthorized” people got onto the team’s hotel floor. A deputy police inspector even wrote a letter to PSL CEO Salman Naseer saying the two players “forcefully escorted” the visitors to a room. But Raza later cleared things up, saying those folks were just his family and close friends.
“Shaheen did not force anyone,” Raza explained. “My friends and family had come, and at my request, Shaheen helped them. If these were the SOPs, I wasn’t aware, and honestly, Shaheen wasn’t either. The real culprit is me, not Shaheen.”
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