PSL: Lahore Qalandars fines Shaheen Afridi PKR 1 Million over hotel security breach
Lahore, March 31
Lahore Qalandars have imposed a fine of PKR 1 million on captain Shaheen Shah Afridi following an incident in which Punjab police accused him of breaching security protocols at the team hotel.
According to ESPNcricinfo, in a statement, the Qalandars said the fine was levied to "uphold discipline and ensure accountability" within the squad. No action will be taken against Sikandar Raza, who was also mentioned in the police report regarding the same protocols.
Raza and Shaheen were accused of a serious security breach after four "unauthorised" individuals managed to enter the team's hotel room. A letter was handed from the Punjab police to PSL's chief executive, Salman Naseer, where they were accused of "forcefully escorting" visitors to the all-rounder's room.
In a letter addressed to PSL CEO Salman Naseer, a deputy police inspector alleged that Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Afridi and teammate Sikandar Raza ignored security guidelines, "forcefully escorting" the visitors to a player's room on Saturday night, where they stayed for nearly three hours.
On Monday, Raza broke his silence on him and Afridi being accused of a security breach by allowing four "unauthorised" people in the team's hotel room, saying that they were his long-time friends, family members and the Pakistan left-arm pacer was only helping him out.
Raza has clarified that the four people in question are his close family members and friends.
"Shaheen did not force anyone. My friends and family had come, and at my request, Shaheen helped them [come up to my room]. If these were the SOPs [that visitors were not allowed into our rooms], I wasn't aware, and to some extent, Shaheen was not aware either. The culprit here is me, not Shaheen. He went down on my request, because it was my close family and friends; I did not want to meet them in the business centre. We sat upstairs for 40 minutes," Raza said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I feel for Raza. Meeting family and close friends after a long time is a natural urge. The security SOPs should have been communicated more clearly to the players. Seems like a genuine mistake, not a malicious breach. 🤷♀️
Good on the franchise for taking action. Accountability is key in professional sports. Just because you're a star player doesn't mean you're above the rules. This sets the right example, even if the intent wasn't wrong.
The police report sounds overly dramatic – "forcefully escorting"? From Raza's explanation, it just sounds like a friend helping another friend host his family. The fine seems harsh, but maybe necessary to reinforce protocol importance.
Respect to Raza for owning up and saying the culprit is him, not Shaheen. That's a stand-up thing to do. In our culture too, helping a friend is a big deal. Hope the team management considers this while enforcing the fine.
With the security situation in the region, you can't take any chances. The protocols are there for a reason. A fine is a small price compared to what could have happened. Player safety should be the top priority, no excuses.
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