PCB fines entire squad after dismal T20 World Cup campaign: Reports

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has fined all members of Pakistan’s squad following the team’s exit from the ICC T20 World Cup at the Super Eight stage.

Each player has been penalised PKR 5 million (approximately US$18,000), according to ESPNcricinfo. The fines were not linked to any disciplinary breach but were imposed solely on the grounds of what the board considers substandard on-field performance during the tournament.

Pakistan’s campaign ended without a place in the semifinals, marking the fourth successive ICC men’s event in which the side has failed to reach the last four -- the first time such a sequence has occurred in the country’s history.

The decision to fine the players was taken immediately after Pakistan’s 61-run defeat to India in the group stage, a match widely criticised for a lacklustre showing. Players were informed that the fines could be waived if the team progressed to the semifinals, but that condition ultimately went unmet.

Although Pakistan advanced to the Super Eight phase -- thereby avoiding a third straight first-round exit -- their campaign soon faltered. A washout against New Zealand was followed by defeat to England, leaving them reliant on other results. New Zealand’s comprehensive win over Sri Lanka further damaged Pakistan’s chances, meaning only a dominant victory over Sri Lanka would suffice.

Pakistan did defeat Sri Lanka, but the margin proved too narrow to secure a semi-final berth.

The PCB has previously taken firm action following major tournament disappointments, though typically under disciplinary grounds. In this instance, no internal issues were reported within the squad, making the performance-based fines particularly rare.

Despite the team’s early exit, there were individual positives. Sahibzada Farhan emerged as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, setting a new record for most runs in a single T20 World Cup and becoming the only player to score two centuries in the same edition.

Nevertheless, the collective failure to progress has prompted decisive action from the board, underlining growing pressure on the national side to deliver on the global stage.