The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has levied a significant fine, equivalent to Rs5 million per member, on the T20 World Cup squad following their underwhelming campaign. ESPNcricinfo reported this news Monday, citing an immediate consequence for poor performance in Pakistan’s match against India during the group stages.
According to the report, the sanctions were not imposed due to any disciplinary issues but because of what the board deemed as “poor” performance at the event. The fine was handed out immediately after a 61-run loss to India, marking the squad’s first game in the tournament.
The statement added that while fines have previously been framed as part of a disciplinary process, these were specifically for the team’s on-field performances. Players had not engaged in any significant misconduct during the tournament, and thus, no other sanctions were considered fit. The report highlighted how this move represented a notable shift from traditional approaches by the PCB.
The team’s exit from the T20 World Cup, despite a narrow win over Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight match, led to questions about their overall performance. Captain Salman Agha had confessed that his side “underperformed” during the tournament and highlighted their mistakes in decision-making under pressure situations, although he did not make any public remarks on his captaincy future.
The unprecedented nature of this action underscored how severely the PCB was scrutinizing its team’s efforts and execution, despite having no apparent disciplinary issues to address.