Category: Sports

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suspended Fakhar Zaman for two matches in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 after finding him guilty of ball tampering.

According to an official statement by the PCB, Fakhar committed a Level Three violation of the Code of Conduct by tampering with the ball, which is punishable by a two-match ban under the relevant article.

The incident in question took place during Lahore Qalandars’ match against Karachi Kings.

During the 19th over of the match, officials found an issue with the condition of the ball while Karachi Kings were batting. As a result, Lahore Qalandars received a five-run penalty.

Match referee Roshan Mahanama later reviewed the case and announced the decision after a hearing.

In the same match, Karachi Kings defeated Lahore Qalandars by four wickets.

Lahore Qalandars scored 128 for nine in their 20 overs, which was chased by Karachi Kings in the final over for the loss of six wickets.

Osaka Batteries partners with the Pakistan Cricket Board for HBL PSL 11: two visions, one powerful partnership strong since 2018 and still growing.

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Driven by passion, united by purpose this long-standing collaboration continues to make HBL PSL 11 bigger, bolder, and beyond expectations.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a strict warning to centrally contracted players, telling them to follow social media rules and avoid posting without approval from the media department.

According to reports citing source, the PCB has directed players to seek clearance from its media department before sharing any content on social platforms. The board also informed players’ managers about the updated guidelines and stressed full compliance with central contract rules.

Reports added that the PCB will not tolerate political content from players on social media. It was also reported that the board has warned that violations of these rules can lead to heavy financial penalties, with fines reaching up to Rs10 million for posting controversial content.

The development comes after disciplinary action against fast bowler Naseem Shah, who faced a fine of Rs20 million over a controversial post shared from his X account.

In a statement, Naseem later said his management team had published the post without his approval.

“A recent post from my account was made by my management team and does not reflect my views,” he wrote.

He added that he now takes full responsibility for his social media account.

“I take full responsibility for my platform and have implemented the necessary changes to ensure this does not happen again,” he said.

Naseem also apologised to those affected.

Following the incident, he removed his social media advisors from their roles, while reports also said the PCB blacklisted the advisor involved from working with any centrally contracted player in the future.

The controversial post from his account had criticised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, which prompted the PCB to issue a show-cause notice before taking disciplinary action.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched a formal inquiry into alleged financial and administrative irregularities in the Pakistan Padel Federation, according to an official notice issued by its Corporate Crime Circle in Karachi.

The notice states that one faction’s president, Muhammad Mateen, has been summoned to appear before the agency on April 2, 2026, and has been directed to bring complete relevant records.

According to the document, the inquiry covers allegations that include organising tournaments without obtaining required no objection certificates, collecting fees unlawfully, misuse of funds, submission of fake documentation, and arranging international tours without approval.

The notice further directs the submission of detailed records, including documents related to tournaments, financial transactions, sponsorship agreements, bank accounts, and affiliation or authorisation papers.

Officials said that the inquiry aims to examine alleged irregularities and determine whether any violations of law have taken place.

Separately, it is noted that Pakistan Sports Board does not recognise any group at present as the national governing body for padel.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Padel Federation, associated with the Mateen Group, has filed a contempt of court petition against the Pakistan Sports Board in the Sindh High Court. The court has issued a notice in the case and fixed the hearing for April 13.

Lahore Qalandars has fined captain Shaheen Shah Afridi Rs1 million after a security breach at the team hotel, officials confirmed on Monday.

The franchise conducted an internal investigation and found that the incident resulted from a misunderstanding, not a deliberate violation.

In a statement, the Qalandars said, “The action against Shaheen has been taken in the spirit of accountability and discipline.”

They informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after completing the inquiry and said some earlier accounts had presented the situation inaccurately.

Officials said Shaheen allowed guests of teammate Sikandar Raza into the players’ room despite security staff refusing permission.

The franchise stressed that it respected all security protocols and handled the matter internally.

The incident took place on March 28, 2026, at the team hotel where all PSL sides stay under strict security arrangements.

According to those reports, a request first came through the Lahore Qalandars liaison officer for permission to allow four relatives of Raza to visit his room, but officials rejected it under security protocols. The same request later reached PCB security through team management, which also received a refusal.

Despite repeated denial, Shaheen and Raza reportedly escorted the visitors into the room, where they stayed for over two hours, leading to concerns over breach of protocol.

The franchise stressed that it respected all security protocols and handled the matter internally.

Hours after he was fined a whopping Rs20 million, Pakistani fast bowler Naseem Shah has issued a public apology over the controversial post that appeared on his X account, and said the message did not reflect his personal views.

In a statement shared on his X account, Naseem clarified that the post was shared by his management team.

“A recent post from my account was made by my management team and does not reflect my views,” he wrote.

He said he takes full responsibility for everything posted on his page and has made changes to prevent such incidents in the future.

“I take full responsibility for my platform and have implemented the necessary changes to ensure this does not happen again,” he added.

The fast bowler also apologised to those affected by the incident.

“I sincerely apologise to everyone affected by this misuse of my platform,” he stated.

Following the controversy, Naseem removed his social media advisors from their roles. Reports also said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to blacklist the advisor involved, preventing them from working with any centrally contracted player in the future.

The board has already taken disciplinary action against the pacer, fining him Rs 20 million for breaching the terms of his central contract and social media guidelines.

The controversy began after a now-deleted tweet from Naseem’s account appeared to criticise Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, prompting the PCB to issue a show-cause notice.

Before releasing this clarification, Naseem had claimed that his account was hacked and later said it had been successfully recovered.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is being slammed on social media after a post from its official X account praised chairman Jay Shah over his inclusion in a list of powerful Indians.

The ICC account shared a message referring to a report that placed Shah at 22nd spot in the IE100 list of most powerful Indians in 2026. The post did not relate to cricket and instead focused on the recognition received by the ICC chairman.

“It is said that power and responsibility go hand-in-hand. This recognition is well-deserved and one that will definitely motivate our chairman @JayShah to strive harder towards loftier goals for the sport,” the ICC wrote.

It is said that power and responsibility go hand-in-hand. This recognition is well-deserved and one that will definitely motivate our chairman @JayShah to strive harder towards loftier goals for the Sport. https://t.co/BSgiscc6VN

— ICC (@ICC) March 29, 2026

The post drew strong reactions from cricket fans, many of whom questioned the use of an official cricket body’s platform for what they described as personal promotion.

“Jay Shah congratulating Jay Shah,” one user wrote.

“This is embarrassing in the extreme. It makes you look like a piss pot organisation. What a clown show,” another commented.

“Is this a joke?? Is this a BCCI account??” a user questioned.

Others also expressed concern over the direction of the governing body.

“What a fall of ICC. Cricket is getting disliked,” one comment read.

“Is this actually official icc account,” another netizen questioned. 

“This is actually disgusting and sick,” a post read. 

“Just minus his father and see where he stands he can’t even speak of his own,” another added.

It is worth noting that Jay Shah currently serves as the Chairman of the ICC.

This is not the first time Shah’s presence in official cricket content has sparked criticism. He previously faced backlash after appearing multiple times in a celebration video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India following India’s T20 World Cup victory.

In 2025, the ICC also drew criticism over a promotional video for the World Test Championship final that featured repeated shots of Shah instead of focusing on the competing teams.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has charged Lahore Qalandars batter Fakhar Zaman with a Level 3 offence during the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 over ball tampering charges. 

In an official statement, the PCB confirmed that Fakhar violated Article 41.3 of the PSL playing conditions, which relates to changing the condition of the ball.

The board stated that the charge concerns interference with the ball’s condition during the match.

Match referee Roshan Mahanama conducted the initial disciplinary hearing. Fakhar Zaman denied the charge during the proceedings.

The PCB said that further hearings will be held within the next 48 hours. The match referee will announce the final decision after completing the process.

The incident took place during the sixth match of HBL PSL 11 when Karachi Kings were batting. Lahore Qalandars received a five-run penalty after officials found an issue with the ball’s condition.

In the same match played in Lahore, Karachi Kings defeated Lahore Qalandars by four wickets.

Lahore Qalandars scored 128 for nine in their 20 overs. Karachi Kings chased the 129-run target in the final over with six wickets down.

Golf superstar Tiger Woods was released on bail on Friday after being charged with driving under the influence following a car crash in Florida, local police have said.

The 15-time major winner got arrested after his Land Rover rolled over in a collision with a pick-up truck towing a trailer while he attempted to overtake it on Jupiter Island. Authorities said Woods walked away from the accident unhurt.

Arresting officers described the 50-year-old as “lethargic” during questioning at the scene. He later refused to submit to a urine test, according to police.

The driver of the other vehicle, who had been slowing down to turn into a driveway off the two-lane road, also escaped without injury.

Officials said Woods also faced charges of property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test.

Woods has faced several driving-related incidents in the past. In 2021, he suffered multiple leg injuries after a serious car crash in California and underwent emergency surgery. He remained sidelined for 15 months and has since dealt with recurring injury setbacks.

In 2017, he was arrested on suspicion of DUI offences in Florida and later pleaded guilty to reckless driving after prescription drugs were found in his system.

In 2009, he crashed his car into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his home, an incident that triggered major public attention.

The latest incident comes after Woods returned to competitive action for the first time in over a year during the indoor TGL competition earlier this week. He had also expressed hope of being fit enough to play at the Masters next month.