ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fined each squad member PKR 5 million (approximately US$ 18,000) following the team’s premature exit from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
This marks the first time the board has imposed financial penalties purely for on-field performance rather than disciplinary breaches.
Pakistan’s campaign ended in the Super Eight stage, marking the fourth consecutive ICC men’s event where the team failed to reach the semi-finals, the first such occurrence in Pakistan’s cricket history.
Performance penalties, not discipline
According to ESPNcricinfo, the fines were imposed immediately after Pakistan’s group stage loss to India, with players informed that the penalties could be waived if the team reached the semi-finals.
However, despite a narrow victory over Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight match, Pakistan’s net run rate proved insufficient to overtake New Zealand.
Multiple sources confirm that no disciplinary issues arose during the tournament.
“The fines are specifically for what the board deems poor performance,” a source told ESPNcricinfo, making these sanctions unprecedented in international cricket.
Individual brilliance amid team failure
Opener Sahibzada Farhan emerged as the tournament’s standout performer, amassing 383 runs in seven matches, becoming the first player to score two centuries in a single T20 World Cup and breaking Virat Kohli’s 2014 record.
However, senior batters including Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, captain Salman Ali Agha, and Usman Khan failed to cross the 100-run mark individually. Spinner Usman Tariq was the only consistent bowler with 10 wickets.
Financial impact and contract questions
The fines are significant given player salaries. Under current central contracts, A-category players receive PKR 4.5 million monthly plus ICC revenue shares, while lower categories earn between PKR 750,000 to 3 million monthly.
Sources indicate the penalty outweighs monthly retainers for several centrally contracted players.
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Notably, no player was included in the A-category for this contract period, with top-tier contracts remaining vacant.
Leadership under fire
Captain Salman Ali Agha faces mounting criticism over personal form and decisions. He admitted, “Our middle order never performed, and we depended too much on Sahibzada for runs.”
Selection decisions have drawn scrutiny, particularly Fakhar Zaman’s delayed inclusion. When finally given an opportunity against Sri Lanka, he scored 84 runs at a strike rate of 200.
Questions persist regarding the contractual basis for the fines, with reports suggesting no such penalty clause exists in player contracts.
