Pakistan hosted the first global cricket tournament in the last 29 years, the Champions Trophy, from 19 February to 9 March amid much enthusiasm. This marked a significant moment in the sport’s history in the country.
However, it ended up being a financial and logistical failure. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) suffered an 85 per cent loss after spending ₹869 crore to play just one completed home game during the tournament, reported The Telegraph.
According to the report, the country’s cricketing board spent PKR 18 billion (about $58 million) upgrading each of the three venues: Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi. This was 50 per cent more than the budget set for renovation.
Apart from this, the PCB also spent $40 million on event preparations. In return, the PCB received only $6 million from the hosting fee, ticket sales and sponsorships. This implies that PCB suffered a loss of about $85 million, added the report.
Led by Mohammad Rizwan, the Pakistan cricket team played only one game at home against New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. Their match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi was washed out without even the toss. Two other matches of the remaining eight held in Pakistan also ended in the same way.
Players’ match fees reduced:
The Telegraph has reported that the players were made to face the brutal consequences, as their match fees in the national T20 championship have been reduced by 90 per cent and those for reserve player payments by 87.5 per cent.
Also, the ones who were accommodated in five-star hotels were allotted budget accommodations while the administrators continued drawing millions of salaries.
Pakistani national daily Dawn reported, “The PCB had recently reduced match fees from ₹40,000 to ₹10,000 without any official announcement…however, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi intervened, rejecting the decision and directing the board’s domestic cricket department to reassess the matter. While the PCB has yet to officially disclose the revised amount, sources indicate it has been set at ₹30,000 per match — ₹10,000 less than last year.”
