The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to impose a massive financial penalty on the national team following their disappointing exit from the 2026 FIFA T20 World Cup. According to a report in The Express Tribune, each member of the team will be fined PKR 5 million (Rs 16 million) for failing to meet performance expectations.
The decision, said to be led by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, marks a significant shift in how the board deals with international failure. Board sources suggest that the top brass have run out of patience after a string of underwhelming performances at major ICC events. The board’s logic is simple but firm: if players are eligible for significant cash prizes and victory bonuses, they must also face fiscal consequences for not achieving basic tournament goals.
Reports suggest that the decision to penalize the team was tentatively finalized already in the group stage, immediately after A significant and demoralizing defeat for Pakistan against India. Naqvi, who was present at the stadium during that match, was reportedly very unhappy with the team’s inability to handle the pressure and tactical errors that led to the loss in Colombo.
Despite progressing to the Super 8 stage, an improvement on the 2024 edition, the men in green failed to find any real momentum as they crashed out of the Super 8 with just one win from three matches.
A narrow, unconvincing win over the Netherlands. A crushing 61-run defeat by India’s arch-rivals. Rain-affected washout against New Zealand in Super 8s. A decisive loss to England that effectively ended their semi-final hopes. In their last match, Pakistan managed to win against Sri Lanka but it was too littletoo late script.
Needing to restrict the Lankans to 147 to stay in the hunt for the semi-finals, Pakistan’s bowlers conceded more than 200 runs and barely clung to a five-run victory that served as a microcosm of their erratic tournament.
BABAR, SALMAN UNDER PRESSURE
The fallout has put captain Salman Ali Agha and former captain Babar Azam under intense scrutiny. Agha admitted in post-match conferences that the middle order never worked, leaving the side too reliant on individual brilliance.
Pakistan’s centrally contracted cricketers now earn millions a year through monthly advances and ICC revenue shares in four categories, although no player has been placed in the top A category for the 2025-26 cycle. Despite better financial security – including revenue from the PSL auctions – officials are still concerned that rising salaries have not translated into better on-field performances.
The only bright spot in the campaign was Farhan breaking Virat Kohli’s 2014 record for most runs in a single edition of the T20 World Cup by amassing 383 runs at an average of 76.60, including two historic centuries.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
02 March 2026 16:26 IST
