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Pakistan’s long-awaited return to hosting an ICC event has turned into a financial nightmare, with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reportedly incurring a staggering loss of ₹869 crore from the Champions Trophy 2025. This was the first major global cricket tournament hosted by Pakistan in 29 years, since the 1996 ODI World Cup. However, financial mismanagement, logistical challenges, and unfavorable circumstances led to severe losses for the PCB.
Over-Budget Expenditure and Low Revenue
According to The Telegraph India, PCB’s financial troubles stemmed largely from overspending on infrastructure upgrades. The board invested ₹557 crore in renovating stadiums in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, exceeding its initial budget by over 50%. Additionally, another ₹346.7 crore was spent on event preparations, including logistics and security.
However, the returns on this investment were disappointing. PCB received only ₹52 crore as hosting fees from the ICC, while revenue from ticket sales and sponsorships remained negligible. The primary reason for this revenue shortfall was that Pakistan played only one match at home—against New Zealand in Karachi—while their other games were scheduled in Dubai due to India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan over security concerns. Furthermore, heavy rains led to multiple match washouts, further impacting ticket revenue.
Drastic Cost-Cutting Measures
In an attempt to recover from this massive financial setback, PCB implemented drastic cost-cutting measures. Reports indicate that match fees for Pakistan’s domestic T20 tournament were slashed by 90%, from PKR 40,000 to PKR 10,000. Payments for reserve players were also reduced by 87.5%. Additionally, players who were accustomed to five-star accommodations were shifted to budget hotels, while PCB administrators continued to receive high salaries.
This sudden reduction in payments led to an outcry from players, and following intervention from PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, the board partially reversed its decision. As per Dawn, match fees were revised to PKR 30,000, which remains lower than last year’s payments but is an improvement from the drastic cuts initially proposed.
India’s Digital Viewership Surges
While Pakistan struggled financially, the Champions Trophy 2025 was a massive success for digital streaming platforms in India. JioHotstar set new viewership records, accumulating over 540 crore views and 11,000 crore minutes of watch time during the tournament. The India vs. New Zealand final alone garnered 124.2 crore views, surpassing previous records set during the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final.
JioHotstar’s CEO Kiran Mani highlighted the tournament’s success, noting that it was streamed across 16 feeds in nine languages, including Indian Sign Language, making it the most accessible ICC event to date.
The PCB’s financial troubles have raised serious concerns about its ability to host future international tournaments. While Pakistan’s dream of successfully hosting a major ICC event was ambitious, the economic fallout has led to difficult decisions and backlash from players. Moving forward, PCB will need to reassess its financial strategy to avoid similar losses in upcoming events.
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