Pressure continues to mount on the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi in the aftermath of the national team’s disappointing performance in the Champions Trophy 2025.
The tournament which was hosted in Pakistan suffered from more than just lackluster attendance—stadiums saw half-empty stands and diplomatic tensions arose when India played all of their matches, including the final, in Dubai. What’s more, Pakistan failed to progress past the group stage, finishing at the bottom of the table. Under Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership, they suffered heavy defeats against New Zealand and India and their final group match against Bangladesh was washed out without a single delivery bowled.
Now, the PCB finds itself facing even more criticism — this time not just for on-field failures but serious allegations off the field. In a televised discussion on a Pakistani news channel, journalist Shahid Hashmi made striking claims regarding the Board’s internal operations. He alleged financial corruption and administrative negligence, sharing incidents that paint a grim picture of how things are being run.
Shahid Hashmi spoke of routine stadium maintenance being overlooked to such a degree that basic resources were never delivered, despite allocated budgets. In one instance, he revealed that necessary fertilisers for the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium were never provided, compelling the stadium curator to sell his personal motorbike to meet the need independently. He expressed disbelief at the situation, emphasising how such oversights reflect systemic dysfunction.
In another example, he referred to a case in Karachi where grounds staff had to collect funds among themselves to acquire essential materials for pitch maintenance, including a piece of cotton fabric needed to cover the pitch. This, he suggested, was just another symptom of broader neglect.
Shahid Hashmi also cast doubts over how the Champions Trophy budget was managed, suggesting that mismanagement prevailed at every level. According to him, there was a pattern of passing responsibilities without accountability, especially in critical areas such as pitch preparation and scheduling, with even basic tasks like consulting weather reports being ignored.
These claims, while yet to be independently verified, add to the growing scrutiny of the PCB’s current leadership. With on-field results already drawing ire from fans and analysts, the emergence of these off-field controversies could mark a turbulent period for the Board as it navigates both internal and external pressures.
