PCB issues statement on alleged misconduct by Pakistan cricketer during T20 World Cup

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has denied the reports claiming that Pakistan pacer Salman Mirza was involved in misconduct with a female hotel staff member during the 2026 T20 World Cup.

What were the allegations?

Pakistan news channel Telecom Asia Sport on Thursday said that a Pakistan player had been fined after allegedly behaving inappropriately with a female hotel staff member in Kandy. However, the report did not name the player. The incident was said to have taken place before Pakistan’s final Super 8 match against Sri Lanka.

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According to the report, the player allegedly acted inappropriately with a female housekeeping staff member at the Golden Crown Hotel. The woman reportedly raised an alarm, after which hotel staff stepped in and handled the situation.

Later, Pakistani news channel ARY News broadcast the same report and identified the player as Salman Mirza, even showing his picture during the program.

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PCB on allegations

Responding to the reports, the PCB issued a statement strongly rejecting the claims.

“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken serious notice of baseless and fake news aired by ARY News regarding Pakistani left-arm fast bowler Salman Mirza," the board said in a statement. “PCB strongly condemns the broadcast of such unverified and misleading information and considers it malicious and irresponsible journalism. The board reserves the right to take appropriate action against those involved in spreading false news," it added.

Are other players involved in the misconduct with a female hotel staff member?

However, the PCB statement did not clearly say whether any other player from the squad might have been involved in the reported incident.

The earlier report also claimed that the matter had been brought to the attention of team manager Naveed Cheema. It suggested that the hotel management wanted action to be taken against the player. According to the claims, Cheema later apologised to the hotel management on behalf of the player and imposed a fine, after which the issue was settled.

Pakistan's T20 World Cup campaign

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign ended on a disappointing note as the team failed to reach the semifinals and missed out because of net run rate. The players and support staff returned home in batches on March 1 and March 2.