I’m laughing”: Usman Khawaja’s epic response to Pakistan penalising players after T20 World Cup

Originally posted on Crictoday | By V.M.Suriya Narayanan | Last updated Mar 6, 2026 4:01 AM ET

Usman Khawaja expressed disbelief after hearing that the PCB had fined 15 of its men’s players around INR 16.5 lakh each for their poor performance in the 2026 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka. He called it an “absolute shambles,” adding that such penalties would only heap more pressure on the squad.

According to ESPNcricinfo, following Pakistan’s defeat to arch-rivals India in the group stage, the PCB fined the team, with a conditional promise to cancel the fines if they reached the semis. Pakistan beat Sri Lanka in their final Super-Eight clash and matched New Zealand on points, but their net run rate fell short, leaving the Men in Green third and out of the semis.

According to the report, the penalties were linked to what the PCB labelled as underwhelming displays during the event.

“I just heard the Pakistani players were fined after the T20 World Cup. At first, I didn’t believe it, but it must be true. Honestly, it’s incredible that the PCB thought this was a good move. I’m laughing because I can’t believe it,” Khawaja said in an Instagram video.

View this post on Instagram

“Just think—what high-performance team in the world, not just in cricket, fines players for losing matches? They aren’t deliberately trying to lose! How is that supposed to improve performance? All it does is add more pressure and stress. These are Pakistani players, already under immense scrutiny from the entire country. Even past selection decisions have been pressure-filled, and now you’re fining them on top of that. It’s a complete mess. I really feel for the Pakistani players,” he added.

Khwaja described Pakistan cricket as nothing short of a ‘drama series’.

“Honestly, I’m at a loss for words that’s why I made this video. I just can’t believe it. Every time I think Pakistan won’t surprise me, they do. It really feels like a drama series, and I can’t wait to see what happens next,” he concluded.

This article first appeared on Crictoday and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: