Champions Trophy losses force Pakistan Cricket Board to slash domestic match fees, remove 5-star hotels for players: Report

Hosting the Champions Trophy 2025 has proved to be a massive financial burden for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), with the cricketing body forced to cut down on crucial domestic expenditures to make ends meet. PCB renovated three stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi for the Champions Trophy 2025, which was won by India after winning the final against New Zealand in Dubai under a hybrid model.

As per reports, PCB spent around 14 billion Pakistani rupees (PKR) to renovate the stadiums as an ICC tournament returned to the country for the first time since 1996. However, the lack of corresponding income has forced PCB to take an overdraft in the region of  3 to 6 billion PKR to manage their expenses.

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Pakistan forced to cut match fees to combat financial crisis

Now, a report in Dawn has stated that the PCB has also taken to cutting down the match fees for the National T20 Cup to manage the financial crisis. As per the report, the match fees were reduced from Rs 40,000 to Rs 10,000 without any official announcement. But after "discontent from domestic cricketers," it has been raised to Rs 30,000 per match, still Rs 10,000 less than 2024.

Besides slashing match fees, the accommodation for players has also been changed, Indian news agency PTI states. As per its report, the five-star accommodation has been replaced by stays in "cheaper" hotels.

"The players who were first being offered accommodation at five-star and four-star hotels are now being offered cheaper accommodation. Air travel has also been reduced for them, besides fees," a source told PTI.

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The PCB has also failed to clear the payments for domestic players and umpires for last season, besides stalling the implementation of the annual pension scheme for former Test cricketers.

Pakistan are reportedly set to recoup only a fraction of the investment it made for the Champions Trophy 2025. Reportedly, only 1.68 billion PKR will come to them as fees for hosting the tournament, besides gate money for the matches.

It has also suffered due to the poor performance of the Pakistan cricket team, which finished last in Group A.