Maryam Nawaz Hits Back At Naseem Shah Over Viral PSL 2026 Dig

Maryam Nawaz Hits Back At Naseem Shah [Source: @umar_says_, @ShafiUOfficial/X.com]

Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah recently took a dig at politician Maryam Nawaz after she was welcomed as the chief guest during the PSL 2026 opening event. However, the dig backfired as Nawaz hit back with a scathing post.

The PSL 2026 season kicked off on March 26, where Lahore Qalandars beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by 69 runs. The match was played behind closed doors, as Pakistan is battling a massive fuel crisis due to the West Asia conflict.

However, while the crowd were barred from the venue, celebrities and politicians had VIP access and were seen enjoying the match with their families.

Maryam Nawaz hits Naseem Shah hard with cryptic post

This created a lot of stir on social media. Interestingly, politician Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, featured as the chief guest for the PSL 2026 opening event.

She was welcomed by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi and introduced to players and officials. Soon after, a viral post appeared from Naseem Shah’s account, questioning why she was being treated ‘like a queen at Lord's'.

The wording of the post had political undertones, and hence screenshots spread quickly, making it impossible to control the narrative.

To further stir the controversy, Maryam Nawaz has hit back at Naseem Shah. Her party, PML-N, posted on social media, which said, “Why is she treated like a queen at Lord’s because she is a symbol of resilience and courage.”

PML-N's post [Source: @TsMeSalman1/X.com]

The post again went viral with fans claiming Nawaz took a strong hit at Shah and that his cricketing career would be impacted heavily after this controversy.

Also Read - Marnus Labuschagne Humiliates Mohsin Naqvi’s PSL After Ball Colour Change, Team Release Statement

Naseem Shah distances himself from the viral tweet

Amid backlash, Naseem Shah blatantly denied posting the viral message, claiming his account was hacked and the post was later deleted.

This is a common response in such cases, but once something goes viral, the damage is already done.

Also, an old clip of Naseem Shah shaking hands with Mohsin Naqvi resurfaced, where his serious facial expression was rebranded online as a “death stare”, even though it was unrelated to the controversy.

Overall, there is still no confirmed evidence that Naseem Shah actually made that comment. 

PSL 2026 begins with controversy

Meanwhile, the opening day of PSL 2026 turned into chaos after a white cricket ball unexpectedly turned pink mid-game. Players from Hyderabad Kingsmen were rubbing the ball on their trousers to shine it.

But since their kits were maroon/dark red in colour, the dye from the fabric transferred onto the ball, gradually turning it pink.

Players complained about the quality of the ball, and it had to be changed. However, the bizarre scenes stirred a meme fest on social media.

Even Hyderabad captain Marnus Labuschagne said he had never seen anything like this and initially thought the ball looked red.

Overall, the “pink ball” wasn’t a gimmick. It was an equipment failure caused by poor-quality jerseys, but it quickly turned into a PR disaster for PSL 2026.

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