Champions Trophy 2025: PCB suffers huge loss of ₹740 crore
What's the story
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has suffered an 85% loss in the recently concluded Champions Trophy 2025, which was hosted in Pakistan for the first time in nearly three decades.
The PCB had invested a whopping ₹869 crore on hosting just one completed home game during this tournament.
This financial setback has raised concerns about the future of cricket in Pakistan.
Financial breakdown
PCB's expenditure and revenue from Champions Trophy 2025
According to a report in The Telegraph, PCB had spent PKR 18 billion (around $58 million) to upgrade three venues in Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi. This was a mind-boggling 50% over their initial budget.
They also spent $40 million on event preparations. However, the revenue from hosting fees, ticket sales, and sponsorships was only $6 million.
This led to a huge loss of around $85 million for the PCB.
Player repercussions
Impact on players and match outcomes
The national team, led by Mohammad Rizwan, could only play one game at home against New Zealand at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Their next match against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi was abandoned without a toss due to rain.
Two other matches out of the eight played in Pakistan also faced the same weather-related cancelations.
These conditions have only added to PCB's financial woes from this tournament.
Player impact
Players bear brunt of PCB's financial missteps
As a result of this financial debacle, players have been the worst hit. The match fees of the national T20 championship have been slashed by 90% and reserve player payments cut down by 87.5%.
Used to five-star accommodations, these cricketers now find themselves in budget hotels while PCB officials continue to draw "hefty salaries."
This disparity highlights the far-reaching consequences of PCB's financial misadventure on its players' welfare.