Kamran Akmal Weighs in on Naseem Shah's Political Controversy

Akmal's Advice to Naseem Shah

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has entered the debate surrounding Naseem Shah and Maryam Nawaz, advising the young pacer to emulate Indian cricketers by avoiding political commentary. Akmal expressed his views during a recent episode of his YouTube show, 'Gameplan'.

He remarked, "How many Indian players comment on Rahul Gandhi? It simply doesn’t happen anywhere in the world."

Naseem Shah, just 23 years old, faced a hefty fine of Rs 20 lakh from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, marking the highest penalty in the history of Pakistan cricket. This fine was imposed after Shah made sarcastic remarks on social media about Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, who was the chief guest at the Pakistan Super League (PSL) opening match held at Gaddafi Stadium on March 30.

Naqvi had previously announced that the PSL would proceed without fans due to an austerity initiative amid a fuel crisis, yet the Punjab CM received a grand reception at the event.

Shah tweeted on X, questioning, "Why is she treated like the Queen at Lord's?" but quickly deleted the post and issued an apology, stating, "I take full responsibility for my platform and have implemented the necessary changes to ensure this does not happen again. I sincerely apologize to everyone affected by this misuse of…"

Despite the apology, the situation escalated, prompting a strong reaction from netizens. Akmal offered some brotherly advice to Shah, saying, "When you are part of the system, you need to remain neutral. Concentrate on your cricket. Leave these matters aside, enjoy your life, and focus on becoming a better player. He should be grateful to the PCB Chairman for his decision, as it reflects care for him. Money can be regained, but a ban would have been severe."