Pakistan’s disappointing T20 World Cup 2026 campaign has now led to serious consequences back home. After failing to reach the semi-finals and exiting the Super 8 stage, the team is reportedly facing strict action from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Salman Ali Agha-led side struggled for consistency throughout the tournament, which was held in India and Sri Lanka. Their early defeat to India in Sri Lanka last month is believed to have triggered major concern within the board. According to a Pakistani publication, the PCB has fined each player 5 million Pakistani Rupees (PKR) following the team’s poor performance.
Reports suggest that PCB officials believe accountability should work both ways – just as players are rewarded for strong performances, they should also face penalties when results do not meet expectations.
The financial penalty is significant, especially when viewed alongside the central contract system. Pakistani cricketers are divided into four categories. Category A players earn 4.5 million PKR annually, along with 2.07 million PKR as their share of ICC revenue. Category B players receive 3 million PKR annually and 1.5525 million PKR from ICC earnings. Category C players are paid 1 million PKR per year plus 1.035 million PKR as ICC share, while Category D players earn 750,000 PKR annually and 517,500 PKR from ICC revenue.
However, the criticism hasn’t stopped at the players. Head coach Mike Hesson is also reportedly under pressure. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is said to be unhappy with the team’s overall performance and is considering a major overhaul of Pakistan’s T20 setup. There are even reports that Salman Agha could lose the captaincy, while senior players such as Babar Azam and Usman Khan may face an uncertain T20I future.
A source stated that Mohsin Naqvi is very upset with the team’s performance especially because this time, the selectors, team management and people close to him in the board assured him that the team would surely perform better.
Big changes could be coming for Pakistan cricket and this might just be the beginning.
