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Corruption Rocks PAK Cricket; PCB Accused Of Financial Irregularity And Illegal Appointments

Sakshi Sharma

Pakistan Cricket Board (Source:@OneCricketApp,x.com)Pakistan Cricket Board (Source:@OneCricketApp,x.com)

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has come under severe scrutiny after the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) exposed a wide range of financial irregularities, illegal appointments, and unauthorised expenditures amounting to several billion rupees during the period between June 2023 and July 2024.

The audit report outlines a deeply troubling pattern of financial mismanagement and lack of transparency within the PCB under multiple chairmen, including Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf, and Mohsin Naqvi. 

Financial Irregularities Exposed

Among the most glaring issues cited in the report is that Rs. 63.39 million was paid to the police department reportedly for providing meals during security duty at international cricket matches. Secondly, unauthorized hiring of three under-16 coaches at the High Performance Centre in Karachi was done without any recruitment protocols. This incurred expense of Rs. 5.4 million rupees.  

It is important to mention that the report also highlights a controversial and rushed appointment of a Director Media in October 2023.Despite the job being advertised on August 17, the application, approval, appointment letter issuance, contract signing, and joining all occurred on the same day, October 2, 2023, suggesting a pre-determined selection process.

Overpayments of Rs. 3.8 million were made to match officials under the head of match fees by the Pakistan Cricket Board. An unauthorized monthly salary of Rs. 900,000 was sanctioned for the Director Media (According to the reports by TOI). 

Billions Lost Or Unaccounted For

The AGP’s report paints a bleak picture of fiscal discipline within the PCB. It further reveals:

  • Rs. 19.8 million spent on diesel for bulletproof vehicles provided by the Punjab government.
  • Rs. 22.5 million paid for the hiring of transport coasters.
  • A massive Rs. 198 million loss resulted from media rights being awarded below the reserve price.
  • International broadcasting rights worth USD 99 million were awarded without any open competition.
  • Non-recovery of Rs. 5.3 billion in outstanding sponsorship funds.

This is not the first time the AGP has flagged irregularities in PCB’s functioning, yet no chairman has faced formal consequences. The report once again calls for structural reforms, financial transparency, and accountability for those who have overseen these violations.