Lahore Qalandars penalized Shaheen Afridi for failing to uphold PSL security standards.
In a statement, Qalandars characterized the fine as a "voluntary and proactive" disciplinary measure to ensure team accountability.
Pakistan’s Punjab Police recently accused Shaheen and his Qalandars teammate Sikandar Raza of a "serious breach of established security protocols".
In a letter sent to PSL CEO Salman Nasser, the police claimed that the duo sought permission to allow four visitors to their team hotel, which was denied.
Despite the explicit refusal, Shaheen and Raza allegedly "forcefully escorted" the unauthorized visitors past security personnel to a hotel room, where they are said to have stayed for nearly three hours.
“In the interest of maintaining discipline and demonstrating accountability, the franchise has taken a voluntary and proactive step by imposing a fine of PKR 1 million on Shaheen Shah Afridi for his involvement. Lahore Qalandars has also formally communicated a detailed response, along with its observations on the matter, to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)," read a release from the Qalandars.
“The franchise expressed its sincere appreciation for the efforts of security personnel, recognising their essential role in ensuring a safe and secure environment for players, officials, and spectators. While underscoring that the matter arose from a misunderstanding rather than any deliberate attempt to violate established procedures, Lahore Qalandars reiterated its full respect for all security protocols," it added.
During a press conference following the Lahore Qalandars versus Karachi Kings fixture on Sunday (March 29), Sikandar Raza defended Shaheen Afridi while addressing the allegations of security protocol breach at the team hotel.
“Shaheen didn’t 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, I wasn’t aware, and to some extent, Shaheen wasn’t aware either. The culprit here is me, not Shaheen. He went down on my request, because it was my close family and friends; I didn’t want to meet them in the business centre. We sat upstairs for 40 minutes,” Raza told reporters.