The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday slammed false reports claiming that Salman Mirza was punished by the board for allegedly misbehaving with a woman at a Kandy hotel during the T20 World Cup 2026. The controversy started after local channel ARY aired claims that the left-arm pacer had been fined for harassment.
Calling the reports baseless and misleading, the PCB confirmed it is exploring legal action against the sources responsible for spreading the fake news. “The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken serious notice of baseless and fake tickers aired by ARY News regarding a Pakistani left-arm fast bowler. The PCB strongly condemns the broadcast of such unverified and misleading information and views this act as malicious and irresponsible,” the PCB stated in an official release.
“The PCB reserves the right to take appropriate action against those involved in spreading false news,” it added.
PCB warns against fake news, demands apology
PCB’s official account took to X and wrote, “Agenda-driven fake news targeting the character of our players is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The reporter must publicly apologise without delay; failing which, the PCB will take all necessary steps to ensure such malicious content is dealt with firmly and nipped in the bud.”
Earlier on Thursday, Telecom Asia Sport reported that a Pakistan player had allegedly misbehaved with a woman at a hotel in Kandy during the T20 World Cup, though the publication did not name any individual. According to the report, the incident occurred before Pakistan’s final Super 8 match against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
The report also stated that a fine was imposed on the player for his misconduct. It stated that the female hotel staff member raised an alarm, prompting hotel employees to step in and manage the situation. The issue was then taken up by the team manager of the Pakistani team, Naveed Cheema.
However, Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals. As per multiple reports the PCB has chosen to penalise all players for their underwhelming performance in the T20 World Cup, imposing a fine of 50 lakh Pakistani rupees on each team member.
In the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan suffered a massive loss to India and endured a narrow defeat against England. Their clash with New Zealand was abandoned due to rain, while they managed a five-run victory over Sri Lanka
