Naseem Shah’s X account recovered after being briefly ‘hacked’

Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah has addressed controversy surrounding a social media post from his official account about Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying it was the result of a hacking incident.

The episode unfolded during the opening match of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League at Gaddafi Stadium, where the chief minister attended as the guest of honour.

During the ceremony, Mohsin Naqvi welcomed Maryam Nawaz and introduced her to franchise owners and players from both teams. She conveyed her good wishes to the competing sides ahead of the tournament opener.

Soon after, a post from Naseem Shah’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, drew widespread attention. The message, which was later deleted, appeared as a quote on a Pakistan Cricket Board post and questioned the manner in which the chief minister was being received, sparking debate across social media.

The remark quickly went viral, prompting mixed reactions from fans and members of the cricket community.

In response, Naseem issued a statement clarifying that the post did not reflect his views. He said his account had recently been compromised but has since been recovered, attributing the incident to a security breach rather than a deliberate comment.

Meanwhile, on the field, defending champions Lahore Qalandars began their campaign with a convincing 69-run win over Hyderabad Kingsmen.

Batting first, Lahore posted 199 for 6, led by a half-century from Fakhar Zaman, who scored 53. Contributions from Mohammad Naeem, Haseebullah Khan and Sikandar Raza helped build a strong total.

In reply, the Kingsmen were bowled out for 130, with an impressive collective effort from Lahore’s bowling attack, including Haris Rauf, Ubaid Shah, Shaheen Afridi and Mustafizur Rahman.