Shahid Afridi just exploded at PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi publicly! The legendary all-rounder called the recent player fines “cheap” and “narrow-minded.” His criticism comes after Pakistan’s latest tournament failure disappointed fans again.
Pakistan crashed out of the T20 World Cup 2026 without reaching the semifinals. This marks their fourth straight ICC tournament knockout-stage failure. The pattern keeps repeating itself frustratingly for everyone involved.
Pakistan’s Recent Tournament Failures
Let’s look at their dismal record over recent tournaments. They failed at the ICC World Cup 2023 badly. The T20 World Cup 2024 brought more disappointment to supporters. ICC Champions Trophy 2025 ended similarly without progress.
Now, the T20 World Cup 2026 adds to that painful list. Pakistan lost to India in their group match first. They advanced to the Super 8 stage but struggled there. New Zealand match got washed out by rain completely.
England defeated them convincingly in another Super 8 game. They beat Sri Lanka but their margin wasn’t enough. New Zealand’s superior net run rate eliminated them from contention.
Mohsin Naqvi’s PKR 50 Lakh Fine
PCB imposed a PKR 50 lakh fine on players after elimination. The penalty targets poor performances specifically, not disciplinary issues. Reports suggest the fine was decided after India’s loss.
Players could have avoided punishment by reaching the semifinals. But that never happened during the tournament. Shahid Afridi slams Mohsin Naqvi for this approach completely.
Afridi spoke to Samaa TV expressing his frustration openly. The former captain called it an insignificant penalty amount.
“This is a decision that’s hard to understand. That’s narrow-minded thinking. This is a small amount. What will you even do with 50 lakhs? It doesn’t even sound like a penalty,” Shahid Afridi said.
Shahid Afridi Demands Stricter Action
Shahid Afridi slams Mohsin Naqvi for being too lenient here. He wants much harsher punishments for underperforming players. Send them to first-class cricket instead of token fines!
Afridi suggests excluding some players from national duty entirely. The ban should last at least two years. Only then will players feel real consequences for failures.
Some players deserve exemptions from punishment though. Sahibzada Farhan batted exceptionally throughout the tournament brilliantly. His performances prevented total batting collapses except against India.
Mohsin Naqvi hasn’t responded to these criticisms publicly yet. The PCB remains silent about the fine reports. But Shahid Afridi’s words carry serious weight in Pakistan!
