Lahore Qalandars have fined their captain Shaheen Shah Afridi one million Pakistan rupees (about USD 3,600) after Punjab police accused him of breaching security rules at the team hotel during the Pakistan Super League. A short statement from the franchise said the penalty aims to “maintain discipline and impose accountability”.
The incident surfaced when a police letter addressed to PSL chief executive Salman Naseer began circulating on social media. Officers alleged that Afridi and team-mate Sikandar Raza escorted visitors to Raza’s room despite being refused permission by the PCB’s security and anti-corruption staff, as well as by Naseer himself. According to the letter, those guests stayed for roughly three hours, although Raza later claimed the visit lasted only 40 minutes.
No punishment has been handed to Raza. Speaking to reporters yesterday, the all-rounder accepted responsibility and tried to shield Afridi from blame. “I was the one who invited them,” he said. “Shaheen only came along to make sure everything was fine.”
Qalandars broadly accepted the police version of events but argued that the row has been “overstated in public discourse, amplified beyond its original context” and “unnecessarily escalated”. Their statement stressed the matter stemmed from confusion rather than wilful misconduct: “While underscoring that the matter arose from a misunderstanding rather than any deliberate attempt to violate established procedures, Lahore Qalandars reiterated its full respect for all security protocols.”
The franchise also promised to tighten its internal processes: “The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to strict adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and emphasised the importance of continued clarity and alignment in the communication of protocols to prevent similar situations in the future.”
Team officials confirmed Afridi has already agreed to the deduction. The money, they added, will go to a local charity—though details are still being finalised.
Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal believes the swift sanction makes sense. “You can’t have two sets of rules,” he told a local TV channel. “If the PCB says no visitors, that’s it—captain or not.”
Analyst Roha Nadeem, however, feels the saga highlights a broader issue. “Franchise and board protocols often overlap, and players get mixed messages,” she said. “Clearer guidelines would prevent this type of drama.”
For now, Qalandars hope the matter ends here. They face Karachi Kings tomorrow, and Afridi is expected to lead as usual. The fine, the franchise insists, is about reinforcing boundaries, not sidelining their spearhead.
