New Delhi: Crumbling under the weight of corruption and administrative collapse, Pakistan’s cricket board is coming undone like a house of cards. From a failing administration to a revolving door of coaches, the PCB is facing an existential crisis. The death knell comes in the form of an audit report released Sunday by the Auditor General of Pakistan, highlighting staggering corruption amounting to approximately PKR 6.5 billion last year.
The Pakistanis have found a target for their ire: The PCB chief and Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi.
The audit report states that Naqvi reportedly received PKR 4.17 million in reimbursement for utilities, fuel, and accommodation—benefits his ministerial position should already cover.
While PCB officials defend these expenses as legitimate, citing Naqvi’s additional responsibilities within the board, the audit categorically rejects this claim and recommends the recovery of the funds along with a thorough investigation.
According to local reports, when approached, PCB’s current Director of Media deflected blame, insisting none of the irregularities happened during Naqvi’s tenure. Ironically, the appointment of the Director of Media is also under the scanner.
For many Pakistanis, the findings are unsurprising.
“Funny how each and every audit report points towards Mohsin Naqvi,” remarked Omer, a Pakistani cricket enthusiast and commentator, on X.
Even Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz was dragged into the discussions. Some allege the report is part of a personal vendetta.
“Maryam Nawaz versus Mohsin Naqvi. On one side, Mohsin Naqvi spreads news of the Punjab government’s corruption, while on the other side, in retaliation, Maryam Nawaz’s media cell also spreads news of Mohsin Naqvi’s corruption. The competition is fierce; let’s see who succeeds in committing more corruption because time is short and the targets are big,” an X user, Iqbal, pointed out.
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PCB’s corruption crisis
Beyond Naqvi’s personal gains, the report paints a bleak picture of systemic mismanagement. Another example is the rapid appointment of a media director in October 2023. The position comes with a monthly salary of Rs 900,000. The entire hiring process—from advertisement to contract signing—occurred in a single day, raising questions about transparency.
PKR 63.39 million was spent on meal charges for police personnel during international matches, a cost PCB claims is part of VVIP security protocols. The audit counters that security is a government responsibility, not that of the cricket board. Other puzzling expenses include PKR 22.5 million on coasters hired for match days, PKR 19.8 million on diesel for government-provided bulletproof vehicles, and PKR 3.9 million in rent paid on a fictitious lease agreement.
The audit also criticised the PCB for awarding contracts without open bidding. Deals involving ticketing, media rights, and international broadcasting were executed without transparency, causing losses estimated at over PKR 500 million. The mishandling of broadcasting rights alone potentially cost the board nearly PKR 27.4 million. Compounding these woes, sponsorship dues totalling PKR 5.3 billion remain unrecovered.
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Revolving door
This financial turmoil unfolds amid a revolving door at the PCB chairman’s office. Since December 2022, three chairmen, Najam Sethi, Zaka Ashraf, and now Mohsin Naqvi, have held the reins. This instability has contributed to an environment rife with uncertainty and politicisation, according to reports.
The team’s performance has suffered in parallel. Pakistan’s defence of their 2017 Champions Trophy title ended embarrassingly in the group stages on home soil. Subsequent tours, like the clean sweep defeat in New Zealand’s 2024 T20Is and ODIs, have only added to public disappointment. Test cricket results have been underwhelming as well, with 14 wins against 18 losses in 38 matches over five years.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)