Shaheen and Raza have come under severe scrutiny over a "serious breach of established security protocols".
Lahore Qalandars skipper Shaheen Afridi and all-rounder Sikandar Raza have come under severe scrutiny over a "serious breach of established security protocols" amid the ongoing season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
According to ESPNCricinfo, in a letter sent by Pakistan’s Punjab police to PSL CEO Salman Naseer, Shaheen and Raza were accused of forcefully escorting four visitors into their hotel room on Saturday (March 28) night.
The letter alleged that the PCB had earlier rejected multiple requests from the Qalandars seeking permission for four people known to Raza to enter his hotel room.
Despite the resistance from on-duty security personnel, Shaheen and Raza hosted the unauthorized visitors.
The letter concludes by calling for a review of the incident and urging that appropriate steps be taken to prevent similar violations in the future.
Addressing a press conference after the Lahore Qalandars versus Karachi Kings match on Sunday (March 29), Sikandar Raza addressed the incident and opened up on the allegations.
"Shaheen ne koi manmani nahi kari. Meri hi request thi, Maine kaha tha meri family and friends aaye hai. Pehle 4 saalo me aisa kuch bhi nahi tha. Mujhe mere family aur relatives ko milne ki ijazat thi. Ab agar ye SOPs the toh iska na mujhe aur to some extent Shaheen bhi aware nahi tha [He did not force anyone. In fact it was my request as it was my family and frieends. In previous four years, there was never a restriction on meeting my family and relatives. If the SOPs have changes, neither me not to an extent was Shaheen aware of the same," Raza told reporters.
The PSL 2026 season was also rocked by a ball-tampering controversy during the Lahore Qalandars versus Karachi Kings fixture at Gaddafi Stadium.
The Qalandars were handed a five-run penalty for ball-tampering. The penalty was imposed after the umpires ruled that the Qalandars had altered the condition of the ball before the final over of the game.
Kings needed 14 runs to win, with Haris Rauf delivering the last over for Qalandars. Rauf, Shaheen and Fakhar Zaman were involved in a brief interaction at the bowler's run-up, during which each player handled the ball. Umpire Faisal Afridi observed the exchange and called for the ball to be inspected.
Following a thorough examination and discussion between umpires Faisal and Sharfuddoula, the officials concluded that the Qalandars had deliberately changed the ball's condition. As a result, five penalty runs were awarded to Karachi Kings, and the ball was replaced immediately.
After the penalty, Karachi required just nine runs from the remaining six balls, ultimately securing victory with three deliveries to spare.
During the post-match interview, Shaheen expressed uncertainty about the incident, saying, “I don't know about this and we'll see if it's there in the camera and discuss what it is."