Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and teammate Sikandar Raza have been accused of breaching security protocols during the Pakistan Super League by forcibly escorting four unauthorised visitors into their team hotel room, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo. Pakistan’s Punjab police have described the incident as a serious violation of player safety measures.
As per the report, the incident occurred on Saturday night when four visitors, reportedly known to Raza, spent approximately three hours in one of the players’ hotel rooms. This happened despite explicit refusals from both the Pakistan Cricket Board’s security manager and PSL CEO Salman Naseer when permission was initially sought.
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Lahore Qalandars have been accused by Pakistan’s Punjab police of a “serious breach of established security protocols” after four unauthorised visitors made their way to the floor of the hotel where the team was staying. In a letter written by a deputy police inspector and addressed to PSL CEO Naseer, Afridi and Raza were blamed for “disregarding directives” and “forcefully escorting” four visitors on Saturday night to one of the players’ hotel rooms, where they stayed for approximately three hours.
According to the letter cited in the ESPNcricinfo report, the players “disregarded directives” and brought the visitors past security personnel who attempted to resist. The document, which has been widely circulated on social media, describes this as a clear violation of protocols designed to ensure player safety and maintain the integrity of the tournament.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, the controversy began when the Qalandars’ liaison officer requested approval for Raza’s acquaintances to visit. After the request was denied, team owner Sameen Rana reportedly made a similar appeal to PSL CEO Naseer, which was also rejected on security grounds.
Despite these refusals, the letter alleges that Afridi and Raza forcibly escorted the visitors into the hotel room, ignoring resistance from on-duty security staff. Pakistan’s Punjab police described the incident as a violation of established procedures designed to safeguard players and officials.
Lahore Qalandars’ head of media Umar Farooq confirmed that the franchise is aware of the incident and said they are in communication with PSL authorities regarding the matter.
The police letter concludes by urging a review of the incident and calls for necessary measures to prevent future breaches. Security has been a top priority for the PSL since its return to Pakistan, with strict controls on player movements and access in place.
In the evening following the incident, Lahore Qalandars played their second match of the season against Karachi Kings, having comfortably won their opening game against Hyderabad Kingsmen.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
