Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has urged Naseem Shah to put the social media controversy behind him and warned that his pace has dropped alarmingly, saying the Pakistan Cricket Board had done the young fast bowler a significant favour by stopping short of a ban. Naseem was fined 20 million Pakistani rupees — roughly eight months’ salary — by the PCB after reportedly posting sarcastic tweets directed at Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who was the chief guest at the PSL opening match at Gaddafi Stadium. The PCB found him guilty of multiple breaches of his central contract despite an unconditional apology. “The members of this committee and the chairman have saved his career,” Akmal said on the YouTube show Gameplan. “If he was banned, his career would have been ruined.” But Akmal reserved his sharper concern for Naseem’s cricket. “Where has the pace gone? He started at 145, 150 — now it’s 135, 137. What was the diet plan? What did you do?” Akmal’s advice to Naseem was blunt. “Leave these things, play, enjoy your life, be successful, become a performer, focus. Bring more skill to your bowling … I was so happy when he came on to scene in 2018. Such a talented fast bowler. He got everything at young age— due to his hardwork and skill. I think he should go and thank the PCB Chairman who has taken this decision as if he were his own child. Money can come back, ban would have been brutal.” On the broader question of cricketers and political expression, Akmal was unequivocal. “When you are part of the system, you have to stay neutral. You focus on your cricket.” He drew a pointed parallel, noting that Indian cricketers under BCCI contracts similarly refrain from political comment. “Tell me how many of their players tweet about Rahul Gandhi. It doesn’t happen in the world.” The Naseem fine is more than 16 times the penalty handed to Aamer Jamal last year for displaying Imran Khan’s prisoner number on his hat — a comparison that has raised eyebrows about the PCB’s consistency in such matters.
Kamran Akmal: ‘PCB saved Naseem Shah’s career, how many Indian players tweet on Rahul Gandhi?’
