By Asif Naveed
SPORTS DESK (MNN); The Pakistan Cricket Board has imposed a fine of Rs5 million on each member of the national squad that participated in the ICC T20 World Cup, citing what it described as an underwhelming performance during the tournament, ESPNcricinfo reported on Monday.
According to the report, the penalties were not related to disciplinary violations but were specifically linked to the team’s on-field performances. The decision was reportedly taken after Pakistan’s group-stage defeat to India, where a lacklustre display resulted in a heavy 61-run loss.
The report stated that the fines were imposed immediately following that match. Players were also informed that the financial penalties could have been waived had the team managed to reach the semi-finals of the tournament.
While the Pakistan Cricket Board has previously taken strict action against players, such measures have typically been framed as responses to disciplinary matters. However, ESPNcricinfo noted that there were no internal disciplinary concerns within the squad throughout the competition, making the fines unusual and potentially unprecedented in nature.
Pakistan’s campaign ended on Saturday despite a narrow five-run victory over Sri Lanka in their Super Eight fixture in Kandy. The win proved insufficient to secure a place in the semi-finals, as the team had earlier failed to defeat any major side in the tournament, significantly damaging their qualification prospects.
Following the team’s elimination, captain Salman Agha acknowledged that the squad had fallen short of expectations. Speaking to reporters, he admitted that Pakistan had underperformed throughout the tournament and attributed their exit to poor decision-making in high-pressure situations.
He, however, refrained from making an immediate decision about his captaincy, stating that he did not want to act impulsively in the aftermath of the disappointing campaign.
The development has sparked debate among cricket analysts and fans, with many questioning whether performance-based financial penalties are an effective way to address shortcomings at the international level.
